How We Met
by CathyandHeathcliff
Summary: “You bloody weirdo! Which world are you in, huh? Because of you I missed my train! My bag, my things… everything’s lost to me now! And I’m wearing pajamas and slippers and standing on a train platform… AND WHAT WILL I DO NOW, HUH?" she screamed at Malfoy.
1. losing yourself

**Disclaimer: All characters in this story belong to JK Rowling.**

**HOW WE MET**

Draco Malfoy stared at the smudgy spot left by his bottle on the glass table. He was sitting at a large table filled with parchments, quils and ink bottles in front of him as various people dressed in high quality cloaks kept chattering around him. He kept falling in and out of the conversation, only listening when he heard his own name being mentioned or the name of his company, which was pretty much the same thing. he closed his eyes as the pressure of the moment increased on him. Somewhere the woman he loved was not his anymore.

"What do you mean Mr. Malfoy has to pay those bills? The show was organized by the daily prophet, we are not responsible if no tickets got sold!"

"But you as Chairman of Malfoy industries were the one who accepted to sponsor it!"

"We never talked of sponship! We only agreed to do its promotion, and we did our best!"

"Will you all please leave the room now, Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy has something important to discuss with Mr. Malfoy here," came the voice of Narcissa Malfoy's attorney.

Draco Malfoy looked up, and sure enough everyone had left the room. Narcissa Malfoy along with her attorney came into the board room and Draco's attorney followed, where he walked up and sat beside Draco. Draco Malfoy straightened up and looked at his mother, who was looking grave and refusing to look in his eyes. He looked questioningly at his attorney, but he also gave back a confused look.

"Mr. Malfoy, your mother as well as your board partner, that is, Ms. Narcissa Lucius Malfoy, wants to resign Malfoy Industries, and wants her share of the profits along with the capital to be given to her," Narcissa Malfoy's attorney announced.

The sentence fell like a brick thrown on Draco's head. Draco looked at his mother, who gave a stony glance at his direction, then went back to looking somewhere else. Somehow, it didn't seem to surprise him that even his mother seemed to want to leave him now. Draco smiled bitterly, looking at his mother. She who had bought him up, like many times before, could now not look _directly_ into her son's eyes.

Draco Malfoy's attorney started speaking up, protesting that this was not an appropriate time for demanding separation. The company had been suffering losses heavily since last year. There was no possible way Malfoy Industries could pay back those amounts now, and at this time, there was just no chance for a separation. Narcissa Malfoy's attorney spoke up on her behalf, claiming it was her right, and there were no legal constraints for them to abide by. Voices started filling the room again, as previously and Malfoy started tuning sense out of them, only a bizarre and continuous murmuring and humming reaching his ears. Everything was falling out for him. He didn't know why he was even supposed to live like this, as if God had created him to remove his own frustration's out at him. He didn't know what was left to bear, he felt like any moment now someone else would come in and announce to him that they're deserting him. he almost expected it, almost wanted it, so he could just go and lie down on some rail, and a train could come and finish his left overs, hopefully the Hogwarts Express. there was nothing else for him to live for.

He was dwelling on his own thoughts when he was brought back to reality, his attorney had placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Narcissa Malfoy, her attorney, and his own, and other few people who he didn't know when they had come in, were all looking at him. He supposed they needed some answer.

"I'll be right back. I need time," he said. Others nodded, while Narcissa's brow furrowed, and if he was correct, which he thought was not so, she looked tensed.

He left the room, and went into the bathroom, and stared at his own reflection, though not staring at it, worry and misery clenching each and every part of his brain and body. No one saw when Draco Malfoy, now chief and head of Malfoy industries, left the building and apparated.

* * *

He looked at her. Smiling shyly and softly as everyone came and congratulated her. She looked beautiful, with a few strands of black ringlets falling down, with the rest tied in a bun. She was wearing a beautiful white gown, with beautiful light pink roses in her hands.

He walked up to her, and she noticed him, and tensed. Her head bowed down and once in a while, she kept glancing towards her partner for life. She looked back at him, as he walked to the front and stood before her. He was looking at her quietly when the other man turned and looked at him. She fidgeted and tensed even more. The man extended his hand to Draco in greeting, expecting to be congratulated on his conquest.

Malfoy looked at Pansy, and for once his mask fell, and the veil of sadness fell on his face. but he composed himself and looked at the man and said, "Congratulations to you and your beautiful wife."

The man thanked and turned towards the other guest waiting to congratulate. Pansy looked at Draco, apology written in her eyes. He didn't give her any credit for it, and left the place quietly.

He walked out of the building, and on the road. He closed his eyes and for the first time in life, he wished he could apparate to a place he didn't know, where he could get away from all these problems. He rested his head on the wall behind him and he broke down. He thought of a place filled with people, so many that he could get los in it, and no one would notice him, no one would walk upto him and demand things from him, and no one leave him. where he could do what he wanted to do. With a final breadth, Draco disapparted.

When he opened them, found himself in Muggle London.

* * *

U guys know that things over here are inspired right? Coz it's on fanfiction...


	2. missing the train

**DISLCAIMER: All characters belong to J K Rowling, and are from the book Harry Potter. And the plot is not mine either.**

**HOW WE MET**

The sound of the whistle blew in the air again, and the girl kept running towards the train. She looked annoyed, angry and stressed.

"Oh my God! Stop! Please Stop the Train! I need to get on it!" she shouted towards the moving train trying to get hold of the handle. A man standing at the doors noticed her and ran to help her.

"My God, ma'am! What are you doing? Stay away from the rails, you'll get hit!" he asked.

"Really, stop worrying about me! Just take this and put them on the train, I need to get on the train!" the girl shouted as she ran beside the rail trying to get on the fast moving train. The girl handed her suitcase to the man who took it fast and lent her a hand.

"Yeah, take this too!" she said and handed more things to the man.

The man quietly took the things and placed them in the train before turning towards the women and saying, "Please ma'am, don't stand so close to the rails, you'll get hit, and climb fast, the train's picking up speed."

"Oh god! Will you please stop worrying about me? I'll take care of myself fine, here give me your hand," the girl said, and taking his hand, which he gave her once again, she climbed with full force into the train.

And the man fell down by her force. All the girls things fell down and made a hue noise. the girl looked up to see the man's face twisted with pain, and realised that all the bags had fallen on him. Laughing, the girl helped the man up, and turned towards the compartment to gather her things. When she looked up, she found everyone staring at her as if she was a mad woman.

"Erm.. Hello! I see everyone saw how I just caught the train...," she said looking at them. They just stared back at her. "Oh well, you see it's very important to me that I don't miss my train. I've never missed any train or bus in my life. But this time, I was really close!" she said.

The crowd looked at her strangely for sometime before everyone went back to their work. She rolled her eyes, and looked at the man. He was a thin man, lanky actually, and was still holding her hand tightly, like she would fall down. Or rather, make him fall down. She raised her eyebrow at him.

"I've come inside now. I'm safe. Can you leave my hand now?" she asked the man quietly. He kept staring at her closely for a while before he realised what she said and immediately dropped her hand.

Laughing she said, "I'm not that beautiful!!" and left.

The man, confused, just stared. Ginny Weasley headed for her compartment.

* * *

When she reached it, she noticed that someone was already sitting on her seat. He looked familiar, something about the white blond hair rang a bell but she could not put it down. The man had his head on his legs, hidden from view and she didn't know how to approach him. Finally she cleared her throat and spoke softly, standing in front of him.

"Excuse me. I think you are sitting on the wrong seat. This is mine," she said, softly.

The man did not respond.

"Hello? I think you are sitting on the wrong seat. This is my seat... 23," she repeated and held out her ticket, a bit more loudly.

Still, the man did not respond. Fed up, she spoke loudly and clearly, so that even the other compartment people could hear her.

"HELLO? CAN'T YOU HEAR ME? THIS IS MY SEAT! YOU ARE SITTING ON MY SEAT! 23!" she said loudly for him to hear.

Finally, the man looked up and stared at her. Suddenly, Ginny realized who it was.

"Malfoy? Draco Malfoy? What are you doing here? This is a muggle train!" she exclaimed.

Malfoy fidgeted, not knowing what to say. Then without answering her, he turned his head to look outside. Shocked and annoyed at his behavior, especially because it was him sitting on her seat, Ginny knocked on his forehead sharply. He looked back at her, looking startled.

She didn't speak this time, but mouthed, 'This is my seat. 23.'

Malfoy looked up at the board. Realising what she had been trying to say, he simply got up and sat on the opposite seat, still deeply immersed in his own thoughts. Ginny stared at his odd behaviour, then shrugged to herself. Shaking her head, she started putting her things on top of the seat, into the suitcase racks. Turning back, she looked at Malfoy. A smirk slowly found her face as she looked at Malfoy.

"So Malfoy… How are you? I haven't seen you since school, I believe. But then again, we never were even friends, were we?" she said and looked at him for an answer. He gave none. He didn't seem to even be hearing her. So she started again.

"I heard you changed sides during the war? Harry told me. No wonder you are here... in a muggle train!" She said laughing. Still, Malfoy didn't reply. Ginny cleared her throat to see if he reacted to her at all. But he didn't seem to even realise that somebody was sitting oppposite him. So she started talking normally, not bothering to question him, comfortable that anybody who entered would atleast know that she was talking to somebody. Even if the person was not replying, or even seemed interested.

"I can't believe Wizarding world has changed so much since the war! We lost so many people, but now with you- know- who gone, it's nice to be back to normal. People don't have that strange fear any more do they? And we've mixed so much into the muggle world too! Who would have thought these muggle trains were so comfortable? I for one, love them. They are really nice and comforting. Flooing and apparating always get soot and make me dizzy. I know these trains take time, but they are really nice, the people too. No wonder my father used to be amused by their style of living. I think it's his genes in me kicking in."

"Do you still shop in Diagon alley for your clothes? I don't buy my clothes from Madam Malkin's anymore. She's hiked the prices, and the clothes don't have the same standard anymore. And it's not Madam Malkin who serves now, she only sits on the counter waiting for the clothes to be bought to her. It's some other girl. Madam Malkin used to know what suits us and how well they fit, this one doesn't. It's horrible!"

"I now go to buy clothes from Fashion Side. It's new in Diagon Alley. It's got the coolest clothes! You can buy anything from there and it will all be under 50 sickles!"

"Every one says Diagon Alley is very crowded. What do you mean it is crowded? Crowd is made by us, the people. We are the crowd and we have a problem with it?"

"I really miss Hogwarts, it was so much fun. It was another home awa-"

Malfoy felt uncomfortabe with the girl talking to him constantly. He did not know what she saing, though sometimes he did hear some bits of it, but he seriously wanted her to leave him alone. He got up to search for a quiet place, for what, even he didn't know.

"-and it used to be really nice when, What happened?" Ginny asked when she noticed Malfoy get up and leave. She wondered what his problem was, and shrugged and relaxed back in her seat, looking out the window.

* * *

Malfoy went outside, towards the washrooms. Beside the washroom were the doors, and he looked out. They were crossing a bridge, below which was endless sea. He had no idea where he was or where the train was going. He looked at the sea, the blue water shining brightly in the morning, it's surface disturbed once in a while by a small fish jumping out and going back into the waters or by someone throwing stones into it. He didn't know how long he kept staring at the sea, but it felt so peaceful. The sounds of the train moving, the air hitting his face, coool and harsh, the sea moving past him so fast. In the sea, he saw faces... his worries, Pansy, his mother's resigning, the losses…

"Draco Malfoy is not his father in business. He does not have the ability."

"Draco Malfoy's poor investment once again bought shame and losses to the company. He has invested in hopeless projects with little success."

"He is not capable, just like his father. His poor grandfather, such hardwork bought to such shame."

"Draco Malfoy is all talk, no work. Malfoy Industries has a debt of 200,000 galleons with hardly any capital. The company's close to Bankruptcy now."

"Even his mother is leaving the organization."

"In one year, look at the state of the company."

"I can't marry you, Draco. Father wants me to marry Blaise. And I think it's right too."

Malfoy took a deep breath. He opened at the door of the compartment. Slowly, he took steps towards the outside door, and looked hard at the sea. If he jumped now, no one would know, and he'd be free from life. It had nothing to offer to him. He slowly brought his right foot forward. It felt so nice, the air was pushing his leg forward, urging him to act and he didn't want to resist. He moved closer to the door. Somewhere out there, a whistle blew.

"What are you doing?" came a loud voice.

Malfoy turned around, his face shocked and somehow guility looking. He took a deep breadth, wondering about what he was about to do, and looked ta the person who had shouted. Ginny Weasley was standing behind him, looking at him with confusion and fear. Her question still not registering totally in his head, he thought about the sudden suicidal instincts that had overwhelmed him. She walked slowly towards him and said, "Is there a problem? What happened? Why are you acting so strangely?"

She kept looking at him curiously for a while, then her mood suddenly shifted and she turned towards the wash basin. Washing her hands, she said with exasperation, "or you've just not changed and are still the same prat from school."

She waited for some answer, but he still was mute, his face confused and silent. She looked seriously at him for a whole minute and sighed, saying, "something _is_ wrong. I've asked you already but you are not saying."

The ticket conductor took this time to come to the washroom area and asked, "May I see your ticket, please?"

"I have it in the berth, I'll give it to you." Ginny said.

The man looked at Malfoy and asked the same question. Ginny looked at him too, to see if he was being the prat only to her or if it his habitual problem. Malfoy, again, was not replying and was oblivious to their presence. The conductor looked at Ginny questioningly. Ginny walked upto Malfoy and said, "he want's to see your ticket. Like the one you give in the Hogwarts express, that one. Give him your ticket."

When Malfoy remianed silent, she started again and tried to explain to him again, but he cut her off saying, "I don't have the ticket."

* * *

"He actually had this very important meeting to attend to, and he could not stop to buy the ticket. You see, he is a very important man and most times his assistant do his work for him and he does not need to bother about it. Anyways, the trains going pretty empty right now, why can't you make the ticket now?" the girl said and looked at the conductor who was busy making a note. She poked him on the shoulder, making him look up. "There's no problem is there? You can make the ticket now right?" she asked as the man seemed hardly to pay any attention to her and kept making notes on his clip.

She poked the man again and said, "Sir, are you convinced or should I speak more?"

The ticket collector finally stopped making notes and sighed. Then he looked at Malfoy and addressed him.

"Which place's ticket do you want?" he asked.

they waited for Malfoy's response, and Ginny closed her eyes, frustrated. Why was he doing this? And why did she bother about it? She should have just gone and sat back on her seat, not caring at all. But she knew she could never do that, as it was her problem. Malfoy currently was looking at his feat and the ground. She looked at these things, and found none of them interesting. The shoes were expensive yes, but she knew he had more than one pair. Hopefully, he wasn't sad about using the best ones.

"HELLO?" the conductor spoke loudly looking at Malfoy. He nudged Malfoy and the man finally came back to reality. Confused, he asked, "till where does this train go?"

"What?" the conductor asked.

'_git_,' thought Ginny. The conductor looked thoroughly irritated now and he seemed to get up. Ginny got scared that he was about to go and get people to help him throw Malfoy out of the train and she immediately interrupted.

"Last stop! Bristol!" ginny exclaimed looking at the conductor. Suddenly she put on a sad face and looked at Malfoy symphatetically. The conductor sat back down to hear her tale while she looked at Malfoy, "Actually, I'll tell you the truth... It's hard lying in this situation. This man," she pointed towards Malfoy, "he's been through a lot recently. Everything seems to be down right now in our family and we wanted to support him. I just found him here by chance. It's a bad time…" she ended and kept silent for some time for the extra drama. the conductor kept stared at Malfoy. Ginny looked back at the conductor.

"So, Bristol??" she breathed, glaring daggers towards Malfoy, who didn't bother noticing. The conductor nodded and handled the business with her.

Finally, with all the formalities done, the ticket conductor left, and Malfoy sat back. Ginny turned towards him and took a deep breath. Then very softly she approached him.

"Malfoy, what's the problem? Are you taking drugs or something?" she asked. He shot her a weird look and went back to his business. Ginny sighed dramatically and went to sit in front of him.

"Listen, if you have aannnyyy such problem, you are free to tell me. It's alright. I have a lot of friends who've got such problems and they _all_ tell me how they feel. I'm like those counselor types... you know- the ones who come in the advice section of the magazines? Like them. Now come on, tell me what is it?" she said and waited for sometime. When he didn't reply, she got impatient. and a bit excited, "Come on, come on! Tell me what's the problem? It's okay to tell me! Come on, there's no need to feel shy... Come now, tell me what's your-"

"YOU are my problem!" Draco suddenly shouted looking at her. "Yes, you! You keep talking and talking. You just don't stop! I've told you I'm not interested in talking to you! Í have made it clear to you but you just don't get it! I'm not interested in knowing what's the cheapest place to get clothes from or what diagon alley is like! So please, please just, please LEAVE ME ALONE!" he shouted and took a deep breadth. Ginny looked shocked at his outburst.

Angrily, he left his seat and went and sat on the other end. The sun was going down, and it was dusky. There was an orange- pink tint in the sky and the lights had been switched on in the train. Malfoy looked outside the window. The compartment had gone totally silent.

Sighing, and unable to suppress the guilt for having shouted rudely at her, he went back and sat on his previous seat and looked at her She looked calmly at him and said, "I don't take cheap clothes. I take what is good."

Malfoy grimaced. He looked at her and said, "Hey, listen... I'm extremely sorry for how i spoke just now. I just have some iss-". But he didn't get to finish his line as Ginny jumped back into action and moved forwards to speak.

"I know what's the problem! Your clearly very upset on some thing. And in your anger you shouted at me. I know it and it's okay. I don't mind, you know. I didn't feel bad..." she said.

Then her face turned happy and she sat back inside her chair relaxed. Her face was very happy as she said, "In fact, I don't mind anything nowadays! You know why? Cause I'm getting married!! Oh lord, have I been bursting to say that?" she squealed. She motioned him to come forward and said very quietly, "Shall I tell you a secret? I'm running away and getting married... The guy is not exactly great, my parents won't accept. But after marriage what can be anybody do? Just fall on their feet and they'll accept you!!" she said and relaxed back again. She didn't realise that Malfoy didn't seem to find her words exciting and amusing at all. In fact, after finally paying some attention to his surroundings, he wondered where he had ended up.

"I've been waiting for a long time not knowing when I'll find the right guy, and I'll get married!" continued Ginny.

"I really love mountains!"

"Since I was a kid, I have been really interested in getting married!"

"I never really understood the difference between hill and mountain."

"I really love the idea of running away and marrying! It is soo much fun!"

Malfoy looked at her and wondered if she was a runaway lunatic. He started feeling bad for having ever felt bad about his outburst to her. Maybe he should have just left her after shouting. Then maybe, she would not have started again. He knew not what he could do to get some peace. The girl was out to get his life.

* * *

"In Hogsmeade... you _don't_ get good shoes. That's why-" Ginny cut off. She opened her eyes. She was still in the train compartment. But it was night time and she had slept off. She got up, the train had halted for a break. Looking around she didn't find Malfoy anywhere.

'_he must have got off. I better check on him. He won't even know when the train's gone. he's so much lost._' She thought.

Walking towards the exit, she peeked out. Malfoy was sitting on the one of the waiting chairs outside on the platform. The train's whistle sounded and it started taking off.

"Malfoy! Hey, Malfoy! The train's leaving! Come back! Malfoy!" Ginny shouted.

Malfoy did not listen. She called again. A man standing beside Ginny, looked at Malfoy and asked, "What's his name?"

Ginny ignored him. "Malfoy! Come back here! The train's leaving!" she shouted again.

"Malfoy is his name?" the man asked.

"Malfoy! Come back!"

"He's Malfoy?"

"Arey Man!" she exclaimed looking at the man. She looked over at Malfoy. He still was lost in thought. Ginny bit her lip, contemplating. She looked at the train. It was picking up speed. She got down the train.

"Madam, what are you doing? Don't leave the train! You'll miss it!" the man shouted.

She looked back at the train. It really was picking up speed. But she thought of Malfoy. '_he needs help._'

With that thought, she ran towards Malfoy. Hurrying towards him with the man in the train calling out to her, she tapped his arm.

* * *

Draco Malfoy looked back and noticed Ginny Weasley tapping him. He took a deep breath, his teeth biting his tongue, his temper rising, and looked in the front again.

"Malfoy! the train's leaving! Come, run!!" she exclaimed in between taking deep breaths from the running.

He purposely avoided her, her calling and tapping him.

Ginny Weasley looked in shock. The git was purposely ignoring her! She looked back at the train. It was far away now. She looked back at Malfoy and said, "Go Die!!"

And she ran for the train.

"Hey! Stop! STOP!! Please! Some one stop! Some one pull down the chain! Stop! Don't go! My things!! Don't go!!" she shouted over and over again.

Running at top speed she was now a just a few feet away from the train. She ran, with all her strength, she only needed to put her hand on the iron rod. She was within reach a millimeter space between her and the train when-

She hit a very fat woman carrying sweets and chocolates and toppled on the ground hitting the floor with full force. The woman screamed, angry with Ginny.

Ginny didn't care, she quickly got up. Straightening herself, she started to run towards the train again, it was still a bit close, when a hand pulled at her from the back and she turned around to see the fat woman holding her tightly and screaming, "You spoilt my stuff! Look what you've done, you stupid girl!!"

Ginny pulled her arm out of the woman's grasp and started running, as fast her feet could, but she knew it was no use. The train was gone, beyond her reach.

She has missed her first train in life.


	3. finding a lost one

**DISCLAIMER: All the characters in this story belong to J K Rowling, and are taken from Harry Potter.**

**HOW WE MET**

Ginny looked in shock as the train started to fade away. Her heart thumped loudly inside her chest as sadness and panic gripped her. She looked around the platform not knowing what to do. The whole platform was quiet, everyone having seen the drama which had graced it moments ago. Behind her the fat woman with the sweets was still shouting and grumbling at the top of her lungs. Some words entered her fogged and confused mind as she looked wildly around, the quietness of the platform was gripping her.

"Such a fat woman! Such a big basket! How could she not see me? thrown my things everywhere…"

Finally Ginny spotted something which made some sense to her. Malfoy was looking at her and shaking his head. He stared at her for sometime, before turning back and walking away. Her temper rose and she walked towards Malfoy.

"You bloody weirdo! Which world are you in, huh? Because of you I missed my train! My bag, my things… everything's lost to me now! And I'm wearing pajamas and slippers and standing on a train platform… AND WHAT WILL I DO NOW, HUH?" she screamed at Malfoy.

Malfoy turned his head and replied to her, annoyed, "I told you to miss your train? I told you to get out of the train for me? Why couldn't you have just left me and minded your own business?"

"Oh! It's my fault, is it? IT'S MY FAULT? YOU SHAMELESS FOOL! I was helping you, you must thank me, and your showing attitude to me?"

Malfoy sighed, "Okay. Thank you. Thank you so much for helping me. Now will you pleaasseee leave me?"

Ginny fumed. How dare he act like that towards her? She had tried to help him, she had missed her train because of him, if she had not been there he would have been thrown out of the train by the conductor, and this was how he would thank her back?

She looked at him angrily and put her hands on her hips as she said, "Leave you? _Leave you?_ It's not that easy! Because of you I missed my train, and now because of you I have nothing in my hands. I'm not going to leave you till you drop me to my home!"

Malfoy threw a look of pure hatred and exasperation. Was she really serious about this? Was it his fault she kept annoying him even when he told her to back off?

He looked exasperatedly towards her and said, "You can apparate you know."

"And my things? What of my things, Malfoy?" she asked him on top of her voice, forgetting that she was on a muggle station. Even Malfoy seemed to have forgotten the fact as his voice raised out of anger and desperation.

"You are a witch, Weasley. You can get them back," he said. She looked miserably around.

"I can't! Train's are a moving destination... I can't apparate there. Nor do I have my wand. Use your wand."

Malfoy looked down at his feet without replying. Ginny looked at him questioningly. Suddenly, realization hit Ginny.

'You don't have your wand! Oh Merlin! What the hell are you doing without your wand? Are you mad? Now I can't even summon my things to me! And it's ALL YOUR FAULT!" she shouted angrily. Some people looked at Ginny oddly, wondering why she was shouting about wands to someone. But both of them didn't even notice it, since both were pureblood bred magicians.

Ginny looked at him angrily, Malfoy was already losing his patience, he looked miserable.

"I'm not going to leave you. Don't keep a doubt in your mind! You'll have to drop me," she said, in a threatening voice. She moved closer to him to prove her point.

Draco looked at her for a full minute before turning away and starting to run. Ginny was shocked at his reaction. Then she reacted and started shouting as she ran behind him, trying to catch him.

"He's running away. Catch him! Oh god! thief! Catch him!" she shouted.

Ginny ran behind him, her speed picking up as she passed several corridors, floors, and rooms, finally being a few feet away from him only to find out she was standing behind the station.

"Hurry, come! Quickly now!" she turned to see Malfoy standing beside a muggle taxi, waiting for her to come. then she knew that he had got a taxi for her to reach the train.

"Oh good! Good! At least he's smart!" she said to herself as she ran.

She ran towards the taxi, thanking Malfoy as she started sitting inside, with Malfoy sitting beside her.

* * *

The taxi man woke up from his slumber to find two people, calling to him urgently, and one of them banging on his head to wake him up.

"What?' he asked sleepily.

"Follow the train! Quickly before we miss it! And _get up_!" the girl shouted.

Grumbling, the man woke up, and started the car as the girl started fidgeting and complaining again.

"Come on! Hurry up! I don't want to miss the train. Oh! How long you take..." she kept saying as the driver started the car. The driver prayed that her mouth could get zipped up somehow.

Ginny looked at the man. She was already getting frustrated and jumpy. The man was driving the car at 50km/hour.

"What are you doing? This the way we will catch the train?" she asked the man annoyed.

The man calmly replied, " You will anyways not catch the train. Next station- lovedale. I'll drop you there."

After a few minutes, the man started singing. "Oh my Love, will you ever find me?

I am lost without you... you presence a sha-"

Ginny turned to Malfoy and whispered, " He's mad! He's not going to reach us in time!"

Malfoy looked at Ginny. He wondered why she had to drag him into everything. All he wanted was for her to shut up, and to leave him be, so he turned towards the driver and said, "stop the car."

"Sir?" asked the driver.

Ginny looked at the man with anger. She had been telling him so many things since so long and he had not spoken once to her with respect. And now three words Malfoy spoke and he called him 'sir'!

"Stop the car,' Malfoy repeated.

"But…' the man stopped the car confused. Malfoy got out of the car.

"What happened? Why are you getting out? Oh, please, can't you wait for sometime?" Ginny asked him, as she fidgeted again.

But Malfoy had already got out and he walked towards the driver's seat, opening the door and shoving the driver inside, who did so utterly confused and asking a lot of questions. With one deep breath, Malfoy started the car again with full speed. The driver screamed.

"My car! Stop! You'll kill us! What do you think your doing?!?!!" he shouted. Ginny's eyes got wide with excitement.

"Chill down!! Nothing will happen! Now we can reach on time!" Ginny replied excitedly, happy that they were going so fast. A box fell down from the top.

"My things! We will crash! Oh my God! My tires will fail! Everything is breaking!" the driver said looking scared and petrified. Ginny didn't even notice these things as she enjoyed the speed, and the excitement.

She looked towards the driver's horrified state and said to him in a very practical voice, "_Don't worry!_ Nothing will happen! Listen to me. We are all in this state because of him!" she said pointing her finger at Malfoy. Malfoy shot her a glare, but Ginny did not bother noticing, continuing, " This man is very rich! If anything happens, he'll pay for it! I give you my guarantee!"

Malfoy finally stopped at the next station. He and Ginny quickly got out of the car and ran inside, the taxi driver kept shouting behind them about his money.

Reaching the platform, they found the train standing at the platform. Ginny stopped and started breathing heavily, Malfoy behind her doing the same thing. She relaxed seeing the train there. Atleast she could reach home with her stuff safely back now.

"Here's the train. Now go," Malfoy said roughly to Ginny, who nodded. he turned towards her and spoke with a very firm voice.

"Now listen. Don't think about me. I'll take care of myself." She nodded once more. The taxi driver came behind them, shouting about his money and fussing about their behavior.

"What do you two mean by running away like that? You haven't given me my money! And driving so fast! You'll have to pay more for it! Now give me 75 bucks now!" the driver said as soon as he reached them.

Ginny leaned against a book counter as Malfoy opened his valet. Ginny looked at him, catching his eyes. They had no muggle money.

"Is gold okay? You can trade it elsewhere. We are out of cash," Malfoy said to the driver.

"Great! Now you two have no money! What will…" the man continued.

"Listen you, we have no money, whether you like it or not. And we need to catch the train. If you want, we can give you gold, or you'll have nothing." Malfoy told him strictly.

The man quieted down immediately, grumbling, and asking how much gold he'll be getting. Ginny asked the man to trade some more gold to give some muggle money, she had to buy water. All of it on Draco Malfoy's money.

Ginny took no interest in the transaction as the both men argued. She went to the nearby railway shop and took a big water bottle. Taking a sip from the bottle, she felt relieved. She had had a terrible time, what with meeting Malfoy who seemed totally out of his mind, and getting out of the train to stop him, and missing the train, and following through taxi. For sometime she had felt so bad, that she had missed her train for the first time in her life, and had to go through this whole mess. Ron had missed several of Hogwart's trains with Harry, about which mum and dad had been very angry with him, but this was the first time for her. God help her if she missed another train ever again...

She opened her eyes. The train. She looked back, it was leaving the platform. Again. Throwing the bottle aside. She ran behind the train again.

"Stop! Oh no! Don't do this! This can't be happening! Stop the train! Please someone stop it!! aarghh!! My train!!" she started shouting again and again. She ran behind the train, and it was already far ahead of her. She kept running, not leaving the train for a very long time. But it was of no use, she had yet again missed her train. And in one night, not even a day. One night.

She stopped running and looked back, taking deep breaths. How could this be happening the same way again? There was no way she could find help now. She looked around to check if Malfoy had seen her again this time, but Malfoy had long since disappeared, so had the driver. She hit her head.

'_How stupid! Finally I get the train, and I miss it! oh what am I going to do?'_

She looked at the station. The board showed the sign, 'Lovedale'. All kinds of drunkards were littered around the place, she being the only girl alone there. They were starting to notice her. She looked around miserably at the place. Walking around, she found most of the drunkards starting to follow her. Panicked, she looked around, and found the door to the railway station master's office on one side. She opened the door and got in…

* * *

The station master looked at her. He was a thin man, who seemed quiet annoyed at having to help her. When she had come inside, he had been dozing off. Ginny suspected that he was annoyed that she had spoiled his sleep.

"The quota is next station. I'll call the station master. He'll keep your things. It might take one day for you to reach there. Nothing else can be done," he told her strictly.

Ginny sighed. A group of drunkards had gathered outside the door waiting for her to come out. "But how will I reach there?"

Just then, one man came stumbling inside. Both, Ginny and the station master looked at him. Laughing in a drunk manner, he ran back outside. The S.M. regarded her carefully, as Ginny pursed her lips thinking about the drunkards.

"So who told you to get out of the train? You should have been careful! Now what will you do?" he asked her angrily.

Ginny bit her lip with tension. The man leaned back in his chair.

"Youth... Don't understand! Don't understand! We keep telling you to be careful, but no! you have to show us your stupidity!" he said in a loud voice.

Ginny looked at him. _What the hell was he trying to tell her? _She hoped this was not one of those pep talks elderly people like to start whenever they see a young person.

"Listen, life... is a railway. One inch of bend and miles of distance. It can destroy your life! Yes... even I have lost a few of my trains... But during those days, I was a man! I mean, even now I'm a man, but you are a woman! You know what can happen to you? _I'll_ explain. First –"

"Excuse me, sir. I just wanted to know if this information your giving me, does it cost or is it free?" Ginny asked him in a sweet voice.

The station master laughed saying, "No, No… this is absolutely free."

"Good… CAUSE I DON'T HAVE CHANGE!" she told him angrily. The man looked at her with fear.

"LISTEN OLD MAN! STOP THE NONSENSE AND CALL THE STATION! THE REST IS MY PROBLEM, I'LL SOLVE IT! COME ON CALL THE STATION!" she shouted. The man immediately took his phone and started dialing. The men outside scrambled away.

* * *

Ginny came out. No one was waiting outside for her. She got of the station and looked around. There were a group of women standing outside. She went and stood with them.

Suddenly, a man on a bike came and looked at her.

"Come sit," he told her.

Ginny looked at him, " I'm sorry?"

"Come on. One man, me alone, one room, full night. Come."

Ginny looked at the other women, and came to know why he talked that way. They were all wearing skimpy clothes and heavy make-up. One woman was shouting at a man about his coming to her every night.

She looked at the man waiting for her and told with a knowing look, half- smiling, "I'm not them."

"What?"

She looked more expressively towards him and repeated, "I'm not them, you know..."

"What do you mean, 'I'm not them' what are you?"

Ginny huffed. This man would not go. She left the group and walked away. The man started following behind her. She could not help but be a bit tensed by her situation now.

"Man, what's your problem? I'm giving you money, why are you showing me attitude?"

She tried her best and ignored him. She walked on not knowing where she was going. Panic seized her mind when she could not make the man leave and their was not one human around to help her with the situation.

"Oh come on... stop showing attitude... okay!! Okay!! Sorry, I'll give you more money! Your worth more than those lots too! Pretty chick! Come now!"

But suddenly Ginny tuned him out. Through the fog, at a distance, she had found a shadow. A hint of pale blond hair. _Malfoy._

* * *

Malfoy was walking peacefully, away from all the noise and disturbance he had been forced into for the time, happy to be away from Weasley. Now he could be alone and get back to his self- pity state…

Or so he had thought.

Just when he had his mind all at peace again, he saw a flash of red- hair and looking up, sure enough, the devil was in front of him. Shock was evident on his face.

Ginny was in front of him. Happiness very much evident on _her_ face.

"You missed your train again?" was all he could ask before he was engulfed in a tight bone-cracking hug.

Ginny Weasley left him, looked at him, then hugged him again, a big grin on her face as she started saying,

"Thank God! Oh Thank God! Thank God I found you! I don't know what would have happened then! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!"

She said looking at him happily. Malfoy looked at her.

"You missed your train again? How? And who is this _joker_ following you?" he asked as he noticed the man on the bike. Ginny looked down. The man took another turn and vanished.

Ginny looked up, she extended her hand and said, "Hi. I'm Ginny."

Draco stared at her hard for a long time before brushing his hand through his hair, then gave his hand, saying, "Draco Malfoy."

But Ginny didn't leave his hand. Instead, she clung on to it, saying, "_Draco._ Pleased to meet you. You don't know how pleased I am to meet you. I've never been so pleased to meet anyone before as much as I'm pleased to meet you today."

Malfoy looked at her weirdly. Ginny continued, but she left his hand and her face turned angry.

"Because it was _you_ who started all these problems-" she said pointing an accusing finger towards him.

'_Of course_,' thought Malfoy.

"I told you right, I'm not going to leave you! _You _will leave now! To my house with all my things... I've seen your valet, I know the money you have. Till morning we will stay at the hotel, then go to the station, get my things and all the way to the Burrow. Come now."

She turned, expecting Malfoy to follow her. He didn't, he just looked at her with angry eyes. Smirking she told him,

"You can give me these tough looks as we walk, come now. Come on. Come on."

And so saying she started off, not knowing where. Draco stood where he was for a long time, staring angrily at her retreating back, which would often turn around and tell him to follow her. Then sighed and rolled his eyes, and followed.


	4. on the streets of lovedale

**DISCLAIMER: All characters from this fiction story belong to J K Rowling and have been taken from Harry Potter, no copyright infringement intended.**

**HOW WE MET**

**Chapter 4**

**On the streets of lovedale…**

"_Lovedale_… It can't be… I mean, come on, what does it mean? _I am walking on the streets of Lovedale?_ Used to see this from the train... these houses, these roads… and today, I'm walking on them…" Ginny said as she walked beside Draco, a happy, dreamy smile on her face.

Angrily, Draco looked at her. "Your enjoying this, aren't you? We've come on a _picnic_… they should take you and put you in the museum…" he grumbled.

Ginny looked amused, still smiling, "Uh huh... And where should they put you? Your in the train but you don't know where it is going… You stop at an unknown platform, then drive the car like a lunatic, almost killing me in the process and stop me here. And here we see what? _Your walking like a loner on the streets of lovedale…_"

the last sentence was uttered slowly, with much drama and expression into the line. Then she looked at him, a bit annoyed, "what _is_ your problem? Now say it, you know… oh! I'm so sorry… you don't share your problems with _any_ body… _your gonna kill me with your silence…_."

They reached a cheap inn with the words 'DECENT HOTEL' written on it. Ginny looked at Draco, who seemed to be contemplating something, with pleading eyes. She motioned towards the door of the inn, asking him to go in. he still looked doubtful of the place, but she insisted. He sighed, finally going in, with Ginny following behind him. The man in the receptionist desk looked up as they entered, a knowing smile on his face as he saw the two. Draco approached him.

"What's the tariff for a room?" Draco asked the man as he removed his valet.

"What?" the man asked, not understanding Draco's words.

"Tariff… how do much do you charge for one room for a day?" Draco explained.

The man understood, then looked at Draco and Ginny together, before asking Draco quietly, "You want the room on hour basis?"

Ginny scrunched up her face in thought, thinking of what he said. Draco narrowed his eyes and glared at the man, feeling he knew what the man meant, and got very angry. He glared at the man, and told him strictly, "Answer what is asked. How much for a day?"

"Why do we want for a day? We don't need to stay for a whole day…" Ginny interrupted. Draco looked at her.

"Ginny, don't interrupt me, I'm speaking here-"

"Yeah right, your speaking very sensibly! Already we have less money and you are… We'll take the room on hour basis." She told the man. Draco stopped her.

"Ginny, you are not understanding what he is saying…"

"Be Practical, Draco. What's there to be ashamed of? Our job's only for a few hours… We'll take the room on hour basis." Ginny told the man confidently.

The man nodded at her, embarrassed. Draco did the same, even more embarrassed. The inn man looked at Draco and whispered, "How many hours?"

This time Ginny looked at Draco for an answer. He didn't say anything, waiting for her to finish what she started. She started thinking, then told Draco,

"Two… two hours will be fine? Okay, for safe side, three hours, alright? Oh come on, say something… three hours will be more than enough." She finished angrily.

Draco sighed miserably and looked at the inn man, "Three hours."

"Yes sir," said the man as he wrote down the bill and looked at Ginny with amused eyes.

Ginny went about looking at the room. It was a small place. There was no space except a parting for the stairs and a counter where the man stood and did the payments. There were no seats. she looked at the wallpaper. It had flowers all over it, with a few posters of celebrities and actors on it. A few of the pictures were too disgusting, few of women in very skimpy clothing. None of the pictures were moving, Ginny noticed. If she had been at a wizard hotel, even the cheapest hotel in the wizarding world would be very different to this, Ginny thought, thinking of Hog's head.

* * *

Meanwhile, Draco settled the bill with the man, embarrassed by what all had passed. '_Could she not have shut her mouth for a while?_' he thought. When everything had been settled, Draco turned to leave, but the man stopped him.

"Where did you find her?" asked the man very quietly so Ginny could not hear.

Draco smirked. _As well make this entertaining._ "In the train," he replied.

"Train?" asked the man, his eyes widening.

"Yeah. Listen, how is she?" Draco asked the man.

"Good. Very good. Beauty…" replied the inn man with a glint in his eyes.

Draco smirked even more. "Three hours…" he told the man, showing his fingers, "three hours…"

Ginny noticed Draco talking very quietly to the inn man. They kept shooting discrete glances towards her, the bar man also giving a snigger at some point in the talk. It got her very to curious to know what could they possibly be talking, especially Draco who had never, who could never, be near muggles and enjoy their company. She went towards them to hear, but they suddenly stopped talking. Draco was hiding his smile, which angered her more. On being handed her keys, she took them quietly, and went through the stairs into her room.

* * *

Draco took the stairs and searched for his room on the first floor. There were only three floors for the building, of which the top most was not allocated for rooms. So it was very easy for him to find the room, as there were only four rooms to each floor.

Entering the room, he saw Ginny already inside the room, sitting on the bed. She was looking at him quietly. He looked at her.

"What were you talking about to that man?" she finally asked.

Draco smiled, remembering the conversation. He looked at her, then walked to a desk and leaned on it, saying, "You are a very big cartoon, you know that?"

She fidgeted. "Maybe… but I know a lot of curses and that muggle fighting thing too, what is it? karate. Yeah, that," She said seriously.

"So?" he asked her.

"No, I'm just telling you. I know karate." She repeated.

Draco looked at her confused. Then realized, "Oh! You know kar- tee, whatever that is. Meaning, if I tried raping you, you would jinx me, right?" he asked her, smiling.

"Maybe… I mean yes. I don't look so, but I've thrown quite a few people of their feet." She said defensively crossing her hands over her chest.

Draco laughed openly and shook his head. He looked at her laughingly, saying, "Don't worry. I'll not er… rape you."

"You can't even do it." she told confidently.

"I don't even want to do it." he told her confused.

"Even if you want… you won't be able to do it." she told him.

"Are trying to tell me to rape you?" he asked annoyed ny the conversation/ _what the hell was she on about?_

"No… I'm just clearing it to you. On the station I hugged you and told you let's go to a hotel. Who knows what you must have thought of me? Especially a guy like you." She told.

"A guy like me… meaning?" Draco asked trying to know what she actually thought of him.

"There must be lots of girls around you all the time… those ones, behaving disgustingly… but I'm not like them, huh! Don't even think of it! I'm traditional, one man woman. And I have. Michael… Michael Connor."

"You will be glad to know that even I am a one woman man alright… look," and reaching into his pockets he removed his valet, and showed to Ginny. There was a picture of a beautiful black haired girl smiling happily at him. Ginny immediately got of the bed and ran to get the picture in her hands. She looked at Pansy with a large grin on her face.

"Wow. She's beautiful… your very lucky. She's Pansy, right? She had a temper before though…" she told him looking happily at the smiling girl's photo.

Draco quietly took the photo out of Ginny's hands and kept it in his valet, smiling sadly. Ginny looked at him questioningly. He sighed and replied, "No. I'm not lucky."

Ginny opened her mouth in surprise, then closed it after realizing what he had said, then after a moments contemplation she said, "oh… so, this is the problem. This girl has dumped you."

Draco contemplated her words for some time. "No. Life has dumped me." Draco replied going to sit on the bed.

"Meaning?" she asked him.

Draco didn't reply, he seemed to have gone back to his previous state of depression. His eyes lost the light which had recently surfaced, he at least was angry before, but now… Ginny wondered how he could take one girl's rejection so much to heart. If she would have been in such a state, she would have slapped the guy and thrown him out of her life, never thinking of him ever again. And here Malfoy was, droning in his own self- pity. But it didn't seem like it was only a girl who was the cause of his state, he seemed too upset and defeated for her to even imagine what may have happened to him. And she didn't want to think so many things at once.

She sighed, then smirked and lifting her hands in a manner as if she was talking to God, she loudly said, "Oh God! The famous silence and all… what is this big problem of yours? I have told everything to you. Why can't you say?"

Draco didn't reply. Ginny shook her head, then turning to the desk where Draco had left his valet, she removed Pansy's picture out of it, and took the match stick from the kitchen and walked over to him. Standing on her knees, as draco was sitting on the bed, she showed him the photograph and told,

"Now take this and burn it."

"What?" Draco asked bewildered.

"See… this girl has dumped you. She has no place in your life anymore. Take this photo and burn it." she said with a mad glint in her eye.

Draco was frustrated. What was Ginny doing?

"Come on, Ginny. You can't be serious…" he said but was interrupted by Ginny.

"I'm damn serious. Burn her."

"Stop talking like kids. This is dumb." Draco argued.

"Listen to me and do childish acts. Trust me, you'll be very happy after this. JUST BURN HER, MAN!" Ginny insisted.

Huff… Draco huffed. He was clenching his teeth so as not to shout at her. He sighed, and looked at her. Done with her shouting, she was gesturing towards him to burn her photo. Draco shook his head, and sighed again, finally taking the match stick and burning it and getting it close to the photo. Within seconds, the photo was ignited and burned with a blaze. Draco looked at Ginny.

"Okay, now take the photo and flush it down the toilet." She instructed him.

Having, already done what all she had asked, Draco didn't feel any shame heading for the toilet to flush the photo down. He took the burning photo to the toilet, Ginny waiting for him in the room. He looked for the last time at her, Pansy, at her smiling face, which kept burning as they flames engulfed her and threw her down the toilet and flushed her face out of his life.

Ginny waited for him to come out. He did, and he looked thoughtful, she didn't say anything, longing to hear what he had to say. Finally, he looked up and smiled at her, saying, "You know, doing this stupid thing, actually made me feel nice."

He shrugged his shoulders, as if letting loose a burden, then said, "You were right. You were actually right about this."

Ginny smiled widely. "See! I told you so…. And to speak truthfully, you are not bad… you are very handsome... any girl can fall for you!"

Draco smiled, his head shaking, he looked back at her, and replied, "Thanks for the compliments... but I'm fine alone."

"Oh no, you aren't! Seriously, believe me! What's there to believe, actually? You know it!" ginny told him quickly.

Draco still didn't look serious about her words, so Ginny said, "See… I'm a girl, right? I know this stuff... You can get anyone! Pansy was just dirt to what you can get! See you're the type that... you know, if Michael had not been in my life and all that... maybe... maybe even _I_ would have fallen for you. IMAGINE THAT!"

Draco grinned hearing her words. He went to the desk and stood kneeling to it, allowing her to continue her nonsense. He did admire her confidence though.

"You really like yourself, don't you?" he asked her.

Ginny's face went very happy, she straightened herself to her full height, and smiled confidently at him saying, "I love myself. I am my favorite!"

Draco could not help but wonder how a girl could be so happy and confident. All his life, he had been having problems, if he didn't have one, he created one, jealousy, competition, pride, responsibilities, feelings, everything tied him down to work for the world rather than himself. And here was a girl who didn't give a damn about what people thought of her, what she had to say being the most important matter. Who lived life like it ought to be, talking freely to a man about her plans of eloping.

Ginny Weasley had gone into a dreamy state thinking of how amazing a person she was. Remembering that Draco was listening to her, she came back to the current situation and looked at him. A faint smile was on his lips and he seemed to be looking at her with a lot of respect.

"What happened?" she asked questioningly.

"Nothing. I wish I could be like you," He replied.

"Hmmm… that's very hard. But you can get any girl better than Pansy, I can guarantee you that. Now, tell me how I look." She asked him.

"What?" Draco asked confused.

"Yeah… tell me how I look! Come on, I need to know!" she turned around for him to see, moving here and there for him to notice her from every angle. Draco was bewildered. Why was she asking that?

"But why?" he asked her.

"Oh honestly, not all questions have answers! Now come on, tell me how I look! Go on! Start-"

She was cut by a heavy thudding on the door. Ginny turned around looking at the door, Draco did the same, tensed by what was happening.

"Open the door! Come on now, open the door! We don't have time!" came a loud voice which seemed to practically bark at them.


	5. getting along

**Disclaimer: His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad…**

**His hair are as black as a black board.**

**I wish he was mine!!**

**He's really divine… the hero who conquered the dark lord!!**

**Well, even the disclaimer unfortunately is not mine, so the characters of this story definitely are not mine, but J.K. Rowling's! The woman who's raking in millions for getting one thought which god could have put in my mind!! Hmm… I enjoy reading than writing though…**

**HOW WE MET**

**Chapter 5**

**Getting along…**

"Oh Come on now! Just open the bloody door!!"

Ginny looked at Draco with a frown on her face. Draco moved forward and opened the door. It was the man at the receptionist and he seemed to be in hysterics about something.

"Raid!! There's a raid!! Get out NOW!!" he shouted at Draco.

Draco immediately tensed but Ginny got confused.

"So?" she asked Draco. He didn't know what to say. She didn't know what the inn man thought she was and Draco didn't want to get beat up for not telling her.

"So… we run," he answered her before taking her hand and dragging her along with him through the corridors and outside the back door. People from all the rooms had come out, and Draco noticed people dressing themselves up in between, trying to run out of the place. Meanwhile the inn man was running from door to door awakening the occupants. Disgusted, he took Ginny with him down the stairs from the back and out the hotel, while she kept blabbering and asking him what was going on.

"What's happening? Why are we acting as bloody thieves??" she asked Draco as they got out.

He was about to respond when the man from the receptionist desk came hurrying towards them and urged them to move on saying to Ginny, "Next time, get a trunk and stuff to show the police that 'yes, you are here to stay' and all."

"But I lost my trunk in the train…" Ginny replied innocently.

"Oh God! This is the first time I've met a train one… why don't you people take those compartments in the trains… those ones in which only two people are there-" he said but was cut off by Draco who again took Ginny's hand and started to lead the thoroughly confused girl away from the place.

"I'll explain it to her next time!" he shouted towards the reception man as they hurried.

"What was he trying to say?" he heard Ginny mutter as they ran.

They ran from the place for a good half hour, trying not to be seen in anyplace close to the hotel or any such hotel. Ginny kept asking him lots of questions, but he ignored them trying eagerly to avoid the embarrassing topic and not to get caught. Especially with out wands to obliviate memories. When ginny was just about to lose her cool, he stopped and pointed towards a bus. Nodding as well as panting, they slowly walked over to the bus.

* * *

"Oh God! Please! Now just don't keep any more surprises for the night. Just make this night boring!" Ginny pleaded looking at the sky which was not seen as it was covered by the roof of the bus. When Draco had walked over to bus driver, the man had got out and they had gone to settle. Ginny too tired to walk, went and sat in the bus wondering how all this was happening to her.

Draco came inside the bus with two tickets in his hands. He looked up and saw Ginny looking at him.

"I've arranged it with him. The bus will be leaving in the morning once all passengers come in," he said sitting on the opposite seat to her. Ginny sighed and looked a the window, closing her eyes. Draco sighed too and leaned back into his seat. He looked at her and asked, "Are you hungry?" she shook her head.

"Nope… No. You?" she asked him. He shook his head.

Looking at her once again, Draco, a bit hesitantly asked, "That… why were you asking me if I like you?"

"Oh yeah!"

Immediately, all of Ginny's previous exhaustion was forgotten. She got up from the chair and turned around for him to notice her once more. Draco smirked, '_this is getting ridiculous._' She smiled at him and asked, "So? You like me?"

"But why?" he asked her.

"Oh God! What's you problem? Just answer! Say… you don't like me? I don't look fun and exciting?" she asked him eagerly.

"Yes… you do…" he answered carefully but not firmly.

"Yes?"

Draco took a deep breath. "Yes." He answered firmly and confidently.

Ginny smiled widely at him. Then, kneeling on one of the seats, she said, "Good… you like me, so you'll definitely like my friend, Hermione. A bit different and nerdy when it comes to studies, but I guarantee you, she's exactly like me."

"What? You don't want her as sister- in- law so your throwing her at me?" he asked irritated that she would try to get him to like Granger of all the people. Gone were lectures of Pansy being dirt for him, she stooped low to hook him with Granger!!

Ginny immediately hit him on the arm. Glaring she said, "How dare you say that of Hermione! It's another thing about Ron never having guts to finally ask her. She gave up and moved on. How can you still think so of her!" she literally shouted at him.

Sighing and annoyed at her having dared hit him, he ran his hands through his hair and said tiredly, "Oh man, look. I don't think anything low of Granger anymore. But that doesn't mean I'm going to suddenly go and become her boyfriend. Keep your odd ideas to yourself. I don't want nightmares, Thank you."

But Ginny didn't leave him, instead now that she was satisfied he bore no ill will towards Hermione, she continued on the subject.

"But Draco, you don't know her. She's a very sweet, very nice girl. She'll truly deserve you and you, her," she said. Then coming to sit at her previous seat, she sat down and leaned towards Draco gesturing him to do the same. He did so, and she started in a whisper, "Look… I'm running away with Michael. You and Hermione can run away too. It's the same thing with you too! I don't think my parents will accept us or let Hermione's parents accept you. We'll all 4 will run away together, then live at the mountains together happily. It will be so much fun!! Great idea! What do you say?"

Draco could not help but smirk at what she had just said. _Could there really, honestly, be such a girl anywhere? _But he quickly wiped the smirk, thinking of playing her game her style. He frowned and scratched his chin. Then looked at her and replied,

"Why don't we do this? You and I will run away, get married and live in the mountains. See… it is a convenient option. If we don't return now, we are eloped, right?" he told her. Ginny immediately shook her head exaggeratingly and tried to explain him slowly.

"See… if you marry Hermione, I'll be like your sister- in- law. Almost family." She told him, but Draco didn't look pleased.

"Oh… what will I do with a half family? I want fully." He replied.

"But your getting!! Hermione! See… with Hermione full, and with me, half." She tried to convince him.

"Oh! I get it. Bargain offer… but don't you think, if I marry you, the offer will still be wide open for me?" he asked her mischievously.

Ginny glared at him, then spoke, "I'm trying to talk to you about my friend's marriage and your hitting on me??" she hit his arm again. He didn't look offended the least this time.

Smiling, Draco asked her, "Do you always talk this nonsense?"

Ginny thought of what he asked her. She shrugged and pushed herself towards the window, replying, "I always talk nonsense. You?"

"No. Actually I never really found anyone like you before, that's why," he replied pushing himself too towards the window. Ginny looked at him with a smirk on her face.

"Well, come to the Burrow then. I'll show you…," she said smirking.

He smiled again and looked out the window. _He might have some fun around her._

* * *

The morning dawned on them quiet and serene. Ginny woke up and rubbed her eyes. Looking over, she saw Draco still fast asleep with a hand on the rail and his head on it. She smiled and reached over to get his hand. Moving it, she looked at the watch, it was 6.00 in the morning. Carefully, she put Draco's hand back to his lap and leaned back into her seat closing her eyes. If everything went properly with no horrible interruptions, she would be back home by the evening. She sighed and opened her eyes. Draco yawned and started moving. She moved over to him, and gently shook him.

"Draco… Draco, wake up. It's six and the busses will start filling in about an hour. We better get ready until people start coming and the bus moves. Draco… wake up," she gently spoke to him.

Draco stirred and his eyes slowly opened. He looked at her peering at him and turned away, speaking lazily, "Weasley, I like to see some peaceful things when I wake up. Are you determined to scare me off?"

She smiled in spite of the insult, and shook her head. "I'm not going to be a mummy and sweetly ask you to get up. I once did and your up now, so get up and get ready quickly. I'm hungry!!" she said as she poked him in the arm and got up and got out of the bus.

Yawning, Draco blinked several times to get the remaining sleep out of his eyes. Looking around, he found Ginny gone out. He slowly got up and stretched. He adjusted himself and got out of the bus.

He found Ginny looking at the place happily with a smile on her face and her hands on her hips. He looked around too. Sure enough, it was such to make anybody feel like smiling. It was not a garden full of fresh green grass and beautiful flowers. It was not a beautiful castle with the entrance in front of their feet. It was not even a small park with people around. It was nothing fairytale like.

It was an empty, slightly dirty bus station.

But it was not the place that mattered. It was the sun and the pleasant weather. Such that was not too cold nor too hot, just pleasant. The sun was up and shining brightly but it was not giving away any heat. The weather was comfortable, with a slight tinge of coolness and the smell... The smell of fresh air and soft earth. Somewhere in the distance, the sound of birds twittering was being heard.

It was morning. That's what had made Draco and Ginny to smile.

If it had been a few years back, Draco Malfoy would have just got out and looked around searching for what he wanted, never once bothering to look up and notice the beauty around him. He had too much of things to look at. It would be the most idiotic and insufferably romantic thing to do. It was something he felt Potter would do. But after all that had happened to him, luxuries of his material life had simply seized to give him any type of happiness. Nature would show sweetness in such simple and beautiful ways that it never seized to get a smile and admiration on his lips.

He looked at Ginny and suddenly noticed her staring at him. She seemed to be thinking hard and was not aware of him looking at her.

"What happened?" he asked.

She blinked and smiled at him. "Nothing. Never expected you to appreciate mother nature," She replied.

He smiled and looked down, then up at her again. "Well… aren't you hungry?" he asked her dropping the topic.

"Oh! Of course! I'm starving! With the ride you gave me yesterday… come on now, don't be late!!" she said as she started walking towards a small café in the bus station.

Sighing, Draco followed her.


	6. sharing memories

**DISCLAIMER: I owned harry potter, before JK saw it and faked that the idea hit her in a bus…but my plea was ignored saying I had no proof… it's what's called luck, I suppose… well, I have no proof of all of all dis, so I 'don't own HP'…**

**HOW WE MET**

_She waited for him to come. Her patience was ebbing away. He was late again!!_

_Turning around, she saw him walking towards her. She walked up to him._

"_hey… early again, huh?" he asked noticing her._

"_No. You were late. Come on, Michael. We'll be late for the show… " she told him whining. He smiled._

"S_o… shall we?" he asked her holding out his hand. She took the hand smiling and walked out._

_They reached the place on time. They laughed and talked for a long time. Afterwards, they went to a restaurant to have dinner. They talked continuously. The food was totally ignored. When it was finally time to move, which was 1.30 AM, they got up and left the restaurant. The road was empty and quiet. The only sounds were of Ginny and Michael laughing and talking on the road, well mostly Ginny talking. He had an arm around her, and she had put her head on his shoulder._

"_But I was stupid! I went the other way and all those girls started flirting with me!! Shit, that was bad!!" said Ginny laughing sometimes._

_Michael laughed too. Ginny looked at him, smiling. She withdrew her head from his shoulder when they reached her dormitory and he removed his hand._

"_So…" she said but faltered. It was the most girlish thing to do, she knew it._

"_See you tomorrow, then?" he asked. She smiled slightly._

"Y_eah. So, Bye ," She said as she opened her gates silently so no one inside could hear her._

"_Bye," he said and walked out, turning back only once to see her running noiselessly to her window and opening it. He knew she would jump inside through the window but was not interested in seeing the fun at the moment._

_The next day at university, Ginny was with her friends when Michael came to her. His friends were standing at the back, waiting for him. They even seemed to be watching him closely._

"_Gin… Could I speak to you?" he asked her. She hated people changing her name, but Michael was exception. Everyone knew it._

_The girls looked at her. Some with jealousy, some with excitement and some with boredom at what was happening. She smiled slightly and walked up to him. Biting her lips she said, "Yes?"_

_Michael looked at his friends one time. They were smirking all of them. Suddenly, Ginny realized what was happening. She held her breath in but her feet were close to dancing. Michael looked at her this time, and taking her hand which made her even more happy, he breathed deeply._

"_Gin… Would you… Will you be my girlfriend?" he asked looking at her eyes._

_She could have melted. She did. She nearly melted. There were no words for her ecstasy. She wanted to go jumping everywhere. She wanted to kiss him hard. She wanted to dance. It was very difficult for her to stand quietly there or remember she was standing there._

_She smiled widely at him. "Of course, " she whispered. He smirked. They were woolfs and cat calls every where. The guys were slapping his back where as girls were looking totally awed. They smiled and looked at the crowd. He had proposed too coolly. Now she was feeling hot._

"Ginny? Ginny are you alright?"

Michael was looking at her with his blonde hair, grey eyes and sharp, pale face. She smiled at him.

Wait. What? Ginny blinked. She blinked three times. Then she looked at the man.

And burst out laughing.

The man confused and a bit annoyed, looked at her with an angry expression.

"Oh… Oh my! OH MY GOD!!" she gasped as she started laughing very loudly. Draco was thoroughly confused. He knew she was mad, but something this bad? No. No, he didn't.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked.

She was still laughing, and very hard. She looked close to banging her hand on the table now. He could not help but smirk at her. It was funny, ok.

Finally calming down, she took a bottle of water and opened it. Taking a gulp of water from the bottle, she closed it and set it down. Then she looked at him.

"Are you okay, or is the mania still there?" he asked, but he seemed to be smiling.

She smiled and shook her head. He sat down opposite to her on the chair.

"So, what was that about?" he asked. She smirked.

"Something sweet I remembered, with you scaring me off in the end," she said.

Draco looked at her. "Whatever."

They ordered the breakfast and started on it. Ginny was back to normal.

"So, what's the plan?" Draco asked fiddling with his food. She started thinking.

"Well, first we need to go and get my things from the other station. So we better leave now, then we can apparate or floo home," she said chewing on her food.

He nodded. '_And after that, I'm free,_' he thought. He smiled at this. That bought Ginny's‎ attention to him.

"You know, your job is not only to get my things. You are supposed to leave me home. Meaning till the burrow," she said looking at him.

Draco smirked. "You don't need to keep reminding me the fact, you know," he told her. She shrugged.

"I didn't like the happiness on your face," she said.

"I was smiling? See how you are…" he replied mockingly.

"Oh haha. Can we leave now?" she asked him seeing he was done with his food and so was she.

"Yeah. Let's," he said.

They got up and paid the bill. Coming out of the restaurant, they looked around. Both being purebloods with minimum knowledge of muggle world had not been a problem the night before, but this time, it was some pain. Granted Ginny had a muggle loving father and a great friend who had helped her with providing information about muggles, she still felt lost with their techniques. It was much, much worse for Draco. He was only starting to try to understand muggles and their living, and all of a sudden being pushed into another world with a girl insisting he not apparate, was very annoying for him. Earlier before, it was night time, with very less people on the street, making everything easy and in front of them. But now the streets were crowded with people.

Almost simultaneously, they both shook their heads and put a step forward. They walked over to one of the shops and asked one of the man where the railway station was located. The plan was to go to the Lovedale station back and ask the station master about the directions to the next station. Ginny was not very happy with the plan. She hoped never to go to the place ever again, especially with what happened. She was sure everyone there would recognize her and probably even laugh at her. But it was the only option, so she had to comply.

The man told Draco the directions. Thanking the man for his help, they started walking to the place. It was just like Ginny had predicted, every one there recognized her. But most seem to have found it better to be away from her rather than make her lose her cool. Draco walked to the station master. The man stared at Ginny when she came and was a bit peeved but told Draco where the next station was located.

They left the railway station quietly. Now the only thing to do was go to the place.

"Now what do we do? We have no idea where to go now!!" Ginny wailed.

"Shut up. Quick, come here," He told her. Ginny looked where he was pointing, but he did not give her time to question.

"What- " she asked but he dragged her to a dark corner of the road. Before she could look, he took a firm hold of her hand and closed his eyes.

Suddenly, the air around ginny disappeared. She felt like she was in a tight air pipe with very little oxygen for her to breath. She felt herself moving. She knew the feeling. She opened her eyes and that's where it all stopped.

Breathing deeply, she looked at Draco. He was perfectly calm, and was busy looking around. She felt the difference in the air, and knew they had reached but was too angry at him to bother looking around.

"You git! You ferret! I told you! You have no right to do that! You know we could have been spotted! Oh! Horrible!!" she shouted at him.

He smirked looking at her. "Your only angry cause I didn't warn you before hand," he said. She looked at him icily, but it was not mean.

"_I'm_ supposed to be annoying. Not you, alright," she told him.

"Bother noticing? We reached," he told her, oblivious to the remark.

Sure enough as Ginny did look around, they had reached. They were standing in front of a building very similar to the one they had earlier left, but it was clean, very clean, with the crowd looking more decent than the one before. When Ginny looked a bit more closely, she saw that most were families and relatives at the station. The place was a bit more crowded than the one before that. Realizing why they were there, Ginny looked at Draco who was content at having finished with his job, was standing silently. '_It was a big thing, he finished it in minutes, though_,' she thought. She nudged him. He looked at her and she motioned him to start walking again.

They walked inside the railway station. Spotting the station master's door, they opened it and entered inside. The man was reading a magazine and his face was hidden by it, with his legs propped up over the table. Ginny and Draco looked at each other.

"Umm… Excuse me?" Ginny started. The man lowered the magazine and looked at them.

He was a fat man, with a round face. The hair on his head was thinning and he had a large smile on his face.

"Yes? How may I help you?" the man asked.

"Erm… I lost my things in a train yesterday, and the station master at lovedale told I was to pick my things up over here," she said almost blushing at the name 'lovedale'.

"Oh! Yes! Yes! Quite a feisty one, he told me you were!" the man said smiling.

Ginny reddened with anger, she folded her knuckles into a fist. Draco smirked looking at her, but he too didn't like the comment.

"So, where can we get her things now?" asked Draco distracting the subject.

Ginny sighed with relief and looked around trying to spot her things.

"Well, here they are," said the man and removed a few items from under his table and gave it to Ginny who thanked him. She then looked inside her bag to check if everything was there.

"Yeah, nothing's missing," she told Draco. He nodded.

"Guess we can leave now then, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah, let's go. Thank you very much," Ginny told the man and they left the place.

Coming out of the place, Ginny put on a big smile on her face.

"Can we go some where nice? I'm in no mood to immediately go to my family," Ginny said.

"Your not going to easily leave now, are you?" Draco asked.

Ginny looked at him. "And you still won't forget all of that, will you?" she asked him.

That silenced Draco. Ginny was satisfied, and she took him to the nearest restaurant for lunch. Sitting in the restaurant, they ordered the food they wanted. Ginny started eating her food, Draco following her a moment later.

"Ginny… do you remember my father, Lucius Malfoy?" Draco asked her after sometime. She looked up at him, his face was neutral.

"Of course," she replied quietly after sometime.

"He died last year," Draco said to her.

Ginny's jaw dropped. She could not believe what she had just heard. Lucius Malfoy died? How? When?

"What?" she asked him.

He looked at her and was shocked to find her so shocked.

"You don't read the papers, do you?" he asked her.

She shook her head to prove his point. She could hardly speak. Before she could stop herself, she said the ones which she regretted the very next moment.

"Was it your mother who ran away with another man?"

Immediately she clapped her hands to her mouth. Draco froze. He didn't look up. Ginny was really scared. Shit, she had spoken without thinking. She looked at Draco with apology written on her face. Slowly, she removed her hands from her mouth to explain.

"That… I'd heard it in this way in the papers and radio. It just slipped off. I'm really, really sorry, seriously," Ginny told him, emphasizing what she said with a vigorous nod of her head. Draco calmed himself and looked at her.

"No, Ginny. Don't be sorry. If everyone's mother is so cheap, if she could do such a low-"

"Mr. Malfoy, I don't think you should talk so about you own mother," Ginny cut him off. Draco looked at her, surprised by her change in tone as well as angry at her for stopping him.

"Why? Why shouldn't I? That woman spoiled my whole life. She brought our reputation to pieces. Why can't I talk so of her?" Draco asked her loudly. people from the other table turned around to look at them. Ginny glared at them, before motioning Draco to calm down.

"Because she was in love!" she explained to him slowly.

"_Love?_ Are you serious?" Draco asked her, looking at her as if she had gone mad.

Ginny took a deep breath, shaking her head.

"Look… She is your mother…. Such things are difficult to understand about her like that… but in love…. There's nothing right or wrong," she told him. Draco looked at her angrily. She feared for a moment if he'll hex her.

"Who told you all this? In which blasted novel have you read all these lines?" Draco asked her. Ginny looked at him as if it was the easiest answer, like it was in front him.

"Everyone says so! All's fair in love and war," she explained. That broke Draco's patience off. He spoke loudly and angrily.

"IT'S ALL LIES!! THAT'S JUST CRAP! BULLSHIT PEOPLE SAY TO MAKE THEMSELVES HAPPY, YOU GET ME? JUST BULLSHIT!!" he shouted loudly at her. Again people from the nearby tables stared at them. Ginny put her two hands on his arms to force him to sit down (Draco only realizing then that he had stood up). She tried to calm him down, scared of attracting more people's attention to their table. They were witch and wizards, after all.

"Alright. Okay. Calm down. End of discussion," she told him soothingly.

Draco sat back down angrily and didn't speak to her. After sometime though, he himself calmed down and looked at his abandoned food, taking up his fork and starting to eat again. Ginny did the same.

"That means you are the owner of Malfoy industries…" Ginny told him slowly. Draco nodded.

She looked at him with the excitement in her eyes.

"You are very rich...," she stated to him. He nodded again, smiling a bit.

"Marry Hermione?? Then all of our lives will be settled…" she started again. H_e_ looked at her in shock._ Where did the hell did that come from?_ Then shook his face in laughter.

"You... you are an original piece, you know that? There's no other like you," he stated, getting only a shrug from her.

They laughed and continued on their food, mindless of the people who kept glancing in their direction, waiting for another outburst quite as interesting.

Discreetly, Ginny glanced at Draco, wondering if he had ever shared his feelings with anyone in his life. But the fact that he had opened up, had got out of his shell from the previous day made Ginny extremely happy. She sighed and turned back to her food.

Wth similar thoughts, Draco returned to his food as well. She was the first person with who he had willingly discussed his life, those things which had made him hopeless and defeated. Draco wondered what Ginny's presence meant in his life. She hadn't laughed at him, hadn't fawned over him. Teased him, and he was already understanding how to handle her.


	7. reaching home

**DISCLAIMER: if Harry Potter was mine… Harry would never have been a horcux, fred would never die, and Voldemort would die because of a 'avada kedavara' not a stupid backfiring problem. but sadly, i don't so the last part will never change i guess...**

**HOW WE MET**

**Chapter 7**

Dusk set the sky quickly. Draco and Ginny, after looking around the town for quite some time, mainly due to Ginny's insistence on seeing everything, finally apparated a few steps away from the Burrow. The lights of the house were on and everyone seemed to be inside. Ginny smiled looking at her house and turned to looked at Draco.

"So… what's the plan?" she asked him, all excited.

He sighed and put his hands in his pockets looking uncertain, "No plan really… just this and that… perhaps I'll spend some time alone, I don't know."

Ginny narrowed her eyes inquisitively and looked at him.

"But where are you going?" she asked him.

He shrugged casually saying, "I dunno… I'll see."

Ginny looked at him seriously. She had quite forgotten about his problems the whole day, what with all the things that had happened since yesterday night. It was now that she remembered how he had been through out the train journey. Quite and depressed. She felt panic on the thought of leaving him alone, wondering what he might do.

"But where will you go, how will you live… Will you be alright?"

Draco looked at her, wondering why she was asking so much. If he had looked seriously at her, he might have realized sooner than now. She was worried for him. He smiled and shook his head trying to make her relax.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry. Trust me, you go on," Draco told her.

"Ginny! Thank God your safe! Come, Come!" came a voice very familiar to both of them just behind Ginny.

Turning, she saw Ron looking at her, and then turn back to go into the house. She assumed he would go and inform everyone else that she had come. She looked back seriously at Draco again, determination set in her eyes.

"No… I'm not leaving you alone," she said.

Draco opened his mouth to argue, "Come on, Ginny. I can't-"

"Stay for some time. I have to talk to you. Then you can go away. Please," she pleaded turning back to see if anyone was coming.

"Ginny… Man, please-"

"Listen, my family's coming. Don't create a scene in front of them. Please. Stay for some time, then you can go away," she told him strictly and turned around, opened the gate and walked in. Sighing, Draco had no choice but to walk inside with Ginny.

The whole family of redheads had come out. Ginny was walking towards them with a big smile over her face. Draco, even if he had left his old prejudices far behind, could not stop the smirk that formed on his lips when he saw all of them. He immediately recognized Ron Weasley, who he had gone to school with, and his twins Fred & George Weasley. Ginny went forward and hugged her parents, glancing sideways at Ron and the twins, who had just noticed Draco and looked very confused cum pissed.

"Hi Ron, Fred, George. Is something wrong?" she asked with a grin, not at all scared of what they might do. If they argued, she could handle them. No big deal.

Ron looked like he wanted to say something dearly, but was unable to say it. He struggled for sometime with himself but getting pissed, he finally settled for a grunt and continued to look at Draco with hate- filled eyes. Ginny smiled looking at Draco and understanding exactly what was bothering Ron's mouth. She turned to look at her two twin brothers but before she could say anything at all, she was caught by the two of them and lifted into the sky.

"Our sweet, little sister!! Welcome back home, we missed you so!!" they started singing and swinging Ginny up and about. Ginny blushed crimson and tried pulling herself of their grasp. Draco looked on amused.

"You idiots! Get me off!! I said get me off!!" Ginny shouted.

"Fred, George, stop doing that to Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley shouted.

But Fred & George didn't let go of Ginny.

"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny…

Our little sister Ginny…

Why did you go away?

We missed you!

We missed you!

We missed you so much!

But you didn't come...

you didn't come…

how could you do so??"

They sang endlessly, their voices not faltering even if the song got blunt.

"Fred, George… don't forget, I'm _your_ sister. You guys really don't want to suffer , do you?" she asked with a honeyed voice getting really angry and embarrassed. Fred & George stopped singing and looked at each other, deciding what to do. They finally nodded and put Ginny down.

"Not because you really are as smart as us, little sister, or that we feel threatened by you. But cause we have a guest, don't want to embarrass you in front of him, do we?" they grinned and turned to look at Draco. Ginny seethed with anger, knowing full well that they wouldn't ever give a damn about her embarrassment, in public or private.

By then, the whole family was looking at Draco. Draco tried smiling, but was sure it looked more like a grimace. These were the Weasley's after all. The family he had teased and laughed about for a long time. And though he had indeed changed during the war, it hadn't given him much chance of redeeming himself in front of them ever. He just stood there, waiting for something, anything to happen. Mrs. Weasley was the first one to smile and approach him.

"Hello, you're Lucius Malfoy's son, aren't you?" she asked, though mentioning his fathers name did put an awkward feeling in the group, especially to Draco.

Draco nodded, and put his hand out saying, "Draco Malfoy."

Mrs. Weasley shook his hand kindly and then turned to look at Ginny for explanation, but before she could say anything, Mr. Weasley came into the room, and looked at Draco before turning his attention to Ginny.

"Ginny, dear, come inside. Aunt Muriel is here. She wants to talk to you. And she noticed young Malfoy here too. You both better go in," he told her.

Ginny's face fell in shock. "Aunt Muriel's here?" she asked, her mouth hanging open.

Draco looked at Ginny questioningly, but she didn't look at him, immersed in her own thoughts. She bit her lip and looked at one of the doors. Whether it was due to fear or irritation, it was clear that Ginny was not interested in meeting her aunt. Behind Draco, Fred & George sniggered, looking at Ginny. She let out a frustrated sigh.

"Do I have to?" she finally asked her parents in an annoyed voice. Mr. & Mrs. Weasley exchanged looks of shock and anger.

"Ginny! How can you speak so? She's your aunt, go inside and talk to her now!" Mrs. Weasley scolded her.

Annoyed, she walked inside the house, Draco being escorted by Mr. Weasley and his elder sons.

* * *

The door was open and Percy Weasley was standing inside, talking to an elderly woman who sat on a rickety chair. She was rocking the chair back and forth and talking very loudly and seriously. Ginny hesitated for a second, before going inside and making her presence known. The others followed.

Aunt Muriel waited till everyone had come inside the room, then noticing Draco, she turned to Ginny.

"Who's the boy?" she asked her strictly.

Ginny tensed, glancing behind her at Draco.

"He's my friend, Aunt Muriel," she replied carefully.

"What type of friend?" Aunt Muriel asked her immediately.

"Friend… meaning, just friends, Aunt Muriel," Ginny replied feeling her cheeks burn.

"So you just decided to get your "friend" for dinner today, did you?" she asked noticing Ginny's color.

Ginny took a deep breath. _This is my chance_, thought Ginny. She looked at Aunt Marge with a happy expression and replied,

"It's like, he is the one who bought me here! You know… my things got left out in a muggle train, in the middle of the night! And of course, we can't summon our things from a moving destination. And the station was very cheap with all kinds of people there… and you know, how a lone girl… can be an open treasure... right? But this man… he stayed with me through out and helped me get all my things and dropped me here safely to my home. He didn't once complain to me through out. He's a very good man," finished Ginny.

A snort came from behind Ginny and she turned to see Malfoy trying to suppress a laugh. She gritted her teeth but forced herself to be calm. He finally composed himself and looked up again, noticing Aunt Marge looking at him. Apparently, the exchange was not gone unnoticed.

"What's your name?" she asked looking at Malfoy.

Draco looked at her, and stepped forward.

"Draco… Draco Malfoy," he replied.

Aunt Marge started when she heard the name, looking at Ginny. Ginny hid her smile. Curious, Aunt Marge looked back at Draco.

"What do you do?" she asked him.

"Umm… my own business," he replied, his head down. This time, though, Ginny didn't hide her full fledged smirk.

Aunt Marge looked up at Mr. Weasley and nodded. Mr. Weasley nodded and pulled all his sons out of the room, and closed the door behind him. Draco looked at Ginny to know what was going on, but she too gave him a confused look. They looked back at Aunt Marge who was looking at them very seriously.

"There's no other relationship between you two? Don't lie, cause in our age, we know very quickly what's happening between a boy and girl," Aunt Marge said.

Ginny blushed, confused at what to think.

"Your making me feel shameful, Aunt Marge," she said quietly.

"Shameful? You think you have shame? If you had shame, would you have worn those clothes and come home?" she asked Ginny loudly.

Ginny looked down at her clothes. Surely, there was nothing so horrible about her dressing… she was wearing a red halter shirt and a short jeans skirt. She turned her head ever so slightly to see Draco's expression. He was trying very hard to hide his smile. She looked back at Aunt Marge who still looking at her very angrily.

"If such clothes you wear and come home… then you must be wandering naked around London!" she continued.

Ginny's shock and anger knew no bounds at that time. _How could she?? Oh, how could she?? _But Aunt Marge paid no heed to her. She again turned her eyes towards Draco.

"Thank you for making Ginny reach home safely. We owe you. Please stay here a few days with us, so we can thank you properly," she said.

Draco nodded and expressed his happiness, though he didn't feel very happy then.

* * *

When Draco and Ginny came out of the room, Ginny sighed and looked at Draco waiting for him to say something. He looked at her.

"Er… is she always like this?" he finally asked. She smirked and shook her head.

"Only when she's really angry and pissed. Not that her mood is really nice when she's happy either, but today mostly it was because it was a 'Malfoy' who was with me," she replied.

Draco nodded, and they entered the kitchen, where everyone was waiting for them. They looked over at the two and exchanged glances. Mr. & Mrs. Weasley, finally smiled and approached Draco, thanking him for helping Ginny out and asking him how he was. Soon, Bill and Percy also joined, followed by some pranks from the Weasley brothers. Ron, however, wasn't too keen on being friends with Draco and instead approached Ginny.

"Hey Ginny, seen Hermione yet or not?" he asked.

"Hermione's here?" Ginny asked excitedly, looking over at Draco, who didn't seem to have heard her.

"Yeah, she's come. Harry's going to come tomorrow too," he told her, a bit carefully.

"oh. Alright," she said, careful not to show any emotions.

"Yeah, he's very interested in meeting you, you know. He was talking to me today at the ministry," he continued.

Ginny nodded, trying her best to smile. She pretended to have some juice, and slipped away from the place.

Passing the dining table, she noticed Draco surrounded by the whole Weasley family, trying to feed him 3rd or 4th helpings. She smiled, unable to believe her eyes.

"Ginny, sweetheart. Can I speak to you for a moment?" Ginny turned around to see her mother looking at her kindly.

"Certainly, mum," she replied.

* * *

"Seriously, Malfoy. It's not such a big problem. You haven't eaten a thing, you know," explained Ron to a stomach clutching Draco.

"Merlin's sake, Weasley, you don't understand. It's my stomach, not some endless elastic band. I've eaten more than I can chew…" moaned Draco once out of the kitchen and near the stairs.

"I'm seriously gonna die now…" moaned Draco again, just as Ginny climbed down the stairs making heavy tapping noises as she descended.

She looked at Draco and Ron together, then turned to Ron and said, "check if the guest room is empty. Mum said it's not properly cleaned."

"Why don't you do it?" he asked annoyed.

"Because, I haven't had my dinner yet, and I am tired, where as you, have been at home for a long time," she replied.

"Piss off! Why should I be the one to do everything….." he exclaimed before climbing the stairs and disappearing.

Ginny looked at Draco, who was eyeing her suspiciously and took hold of his arm and dragged him to a corner.

"What?" he asked.

"sshhhhhhh..." she gestured a finger to her mouth, telling him to speak in a low voice.

She looked at him seriously and said, "a very big problem has come up."

"What is it?" he asked her in a whisper.

"I have told you right… that no one over here knows about me and Michael. I haven't told a single soul of it, except for you and-"

Her explanation was interrupted by the sound of someone coming in from outside, and looking around, they found a girl with very bushy brown hair come inside with a book in her hands. She looked up just in time to see Draco and Ginny stop their talk and stare at her. The shock that came over her face was beyond explanation.

"Ginny…" the girl said but could not say anything else, seeing the man in front of her. the two just continued to stare at her.

Ginny was the first to recover. She looked at the two people who were looking at each other. One in shock, one in _confusion and shock_.

"Hermione! Good you came!" she exclaimed happily looking slightly at Draco. She stepped forward and hugged her friend, who only reciprocated by habit.

Immediately, she turned around to make the invitations.

"Draco, meet Hermione, my best, best friend. Hermione, meet Draco," she said. Hermione nodded, still looking at Draco with total confusion in her eyes, wondering what he was doing over here, and why Ginny was acting so friendly towards him. Draco just shook his head in exasperation over Ginny's antics, knowing full well why she was doing that.

Ginny then looked at Hermione and said in a half- whisper, "You must run away and marry him."

Hermione raised her eyebrows high in shock, then looked over at Draco to know what was going on. Draco wondered if she was actually McGonagall's secret daughter, the way she acted. The expression on her face was a mix of shock and embarrassment. She recovered quickly though and looked at Ginny angrily.

"Ginny… can you please think before you say something?" she exclaimed angrily.

Then, looking at Draco, she said to Ginny quietly, "And what were you doing with _him_ over there?"

Ginny smiled widely, "ooh… _possessive_… jealous so fast?? Don't worry… we were not doing any such thing," she looked at Draco, who was slightly pink in the cheeks and had come out of his place to stand behind Ginny, then turned back to her friend and said, "He's a _one woman_ man. He'll be faithful to you."

If there was any such possibility, Draco and Hermione both looked like they would sincerely like to go jump in the river and disappear. While, Hermione looked very embarrassed and confused by Ginny's talk, Draco was refusing to lift his eyes and look at any one. Ginny was about to say further, when Ron came down the stairs.

"Hermione! There you are! I've been meaning to talk to you for sometime! And by the way, Ginny, the guest room is ready. Malfoy you can come now," he said, then talked to Hermione for sometime before going and standing on the stairs for waiting for Malfoy to come. Being nice to Malfoy seriously was taking its toll on Ron, whose eyes looked murderous.

'Okay, fine. Take him, already you were late in getting his room ready," said Ginny though she looked less wiling to do so.

Draco rolled his eyes and moved to climb up the ladder when Ginny tugged at his arm, before saying, "wait a second, I need to talk to you."

She pulled him to a corner, in front of Hermione and Ron, who exchanged looks and looked on suspiciously, and said, "You guys turn around, no need to hear what we have to talk, it's a secret."

Turning to Draco, she said in a whisper, "Wake up very early tomorrow morning. There's something very important I need to discuss with you. Walk to the muggle village behind our house. I'll speak to you there."

"What is it?" he asked in whisper.

She waved her hand in front of his face and said, "Bye." And climbed up the stairs and into her room, leaving Ron, Hermione and Draco in the same room together.

Draco looked at Hermione, who looked at him very seriously, trying to understand what was going on, while Ron looked confused yet suspicious. Draco merely smiled, knowing not what to do, and climbed the stairs, allowing Ron to escort him to his room.


	8. playing around

**Hi people!! Okay, I take time with updates… but still, I try to keep them as long as I can devote my time to it! alright… poor excuse…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own harry potter or any of the below mentioned characters, not even the plot actually.**

**HOW WE MET**

**Chapter 8**

Ginny woke up early next morning. Fresh and excited, she checked sideways to see if Hermione was up. The girl was sound asleep, but would surely wake up quickly, as always. Ginny quietly got out of her bed and dressed quickly, making as little noise as possible, checking once in a while if Hermione had woken up by any chance or not. Happy at not being detected, she crept out of her bedroom and into the kitchen. Even her mum was not awake, she realized as she saw the kitchen empty and the old Weasley Clock's 8 hands pointing to bed and one, belonging to Ginny, in the kitchen.

But this gave her no idea if Draco was up or not, and she would be mad to try sneaking into his room. She sighed thinking she would just have to go to the village and find out. So she immediately left the kitchen and went outside and opened the gates of the Burrow and marched towards the neighboring muggle village looking back at her place to check if any one was seeing her.

When she reached the village, she looked around to check if Draco was anywhere around. He was sitting on one of the wooden chairs near the bakery shop. He was in the most casual attire she had ever seen him in, and looked surprisingly very handsome in the dress, which consisted of only a plain white shirt and well fitting jeans. She walked over to him.

"This is surprising… today you look quite smashing," she said as she approached him.

He turned around and noticed her looking at him happily. He smirked.

"You haven't seen anything of me. Wait a few days and you'll know."

"Uh huh? Really? And you know muggle fashion?" she asked realizing the fact just now.

"Yup," he replied.

"Wow… how? Been meeting Hermione behind our backs or something?" she asked.

His first expression was, if Ginny accepted honestly, was that of pure amusement and a slight disgust. She could not say if it was because of the thought of having any relationship with Hermione, which she thought he might really have no problem with, or because of the very thought of seeing someone in secret and not telling anyone.

But the expression lasted only a second, then it turned more hesitating and serious when he replied, "No… umm, my mother had a muggle born friend who was a fashion designer in Italy."

"ahhh… that's nice, you should have told me. And you should wear more of muggle clothing. It looks very good on you," she said looking him up and down as she advised.

He raised an eyebrow and asked, "You woke me up at 6 in the morning for chit chat?"

She suddenly covered her hands to her mouth when she remembered why they were even there, meeting secretly from everyone.

"Oh no! I so forgot! There's a very, very big problem come up!" she exclaimed loudly looking at him.

He sighed, "What?"

"Harry is coming!" she said.

He looked at her in a bored manner, "So? Were you trying to warn me or something? Cause me and Potter are on fine-"

"No silly," she cut him off, looking down and thinking seriously. She looked back at him and said, "So? So my whole family thinks me and Harry should get married. They have long since made plans of how the wedding will be, what dress I'll have and everything!"

"Hold on a second. They won't ask you? Potter won't ask you? Everything will be done without your say or what?" he asked.

"Actually, there's a twist in the tale?" she replied sheepishly.

He looked at her strangely before saying, "Explain."

She started, "You know, I've always had this major crush on Harry. Ever since I was small, I would always hear my parents talking of him, how he defeated the Dark Lord when he was a child! How innocent and modest he was… Then Ron came back from Hogwarts and replied that he was friends with Harry Potter and he told all of their adventures, and I met him for the first time when I was eleven… everyone praised him, loved him… he was so special to all of us, to the wizarding world…"

As Ginny talked with such a tone of affection and appreciation about Harry Potter, Draco thought back to how he was when he used to hear of Harry Potter. Unlike her, he was born to hear him as a totally different person. People used to talk of him with awe and wonder, even lots of fear. His mother and father would discuss if he would grow to become worse than the Dark Lord. Where Harry Potter was a bane to who he was, and was always compared to, along with Hermione Granger, Ginny talked of him as the only true hope one could have. He remembered how he once hated the very fact that people kept talking of Harry Potter, praised him endlessly. It drove him to act worse than he was. But now there was a difference, he had accepted it. When he joined Voldemort he realized why Harry Potter was different and he too, felt appreciation and praise for him. Her words made him remember how horrible life was to live in fear, and do one's bidding. To make a slight mistake and be subjugated to the cruciatus. He was glad he had left the dark lord and joined the light. His life was so much better.

The last thought almost made him laugh. His life was better? When did he start thinking that? He smiled and shook his head. Still, it would have been worse had Voldemort reined. With these thoughts, he was now interested in hearing what Ginny was saying. She was still rambling, as if she was lost in the old days.

"Those words, that personality… I was so attracted. I used to wonder how nice it would be if he could like me, if we could go out. I used to be so shy and embarrassed when I used to see him, and never used to talk to him. Ron knew and he would laugh, jerk! My family thought we would grow up and marry. I used to get very excited thinking I will marry Harry!! And then in sixth year…I finally went out with him! only to be dumped at the end of it. but that didn't mean I gave up, once the battle was over, we were together again. I never did anything with him, you know, spare a few kisses and all. When I was with him, I realized, as I spent more and more time with him... that it was nothing like how I had always imagined and wanted it to be. I finally realized that I was not in love with Harry, only in love with who he was, and what he had done. I felt I didn't even know this guy who I always fancied to be mine! I was not in love with Harry. That was the fact I realized. I'm not saying Harry isn't good. Harry is wonderful, he is a great friend. The fault was with me! I didn't like Harry, I liked the portrayal of Harry Potter by people and the media. And we broke up. And I forgot any feelings I had for him, but Harry didn't! he never understood why I left him, my family didn't either. They thought I was having some crisis. Now they refuse to listen to me when I say I'm not interested in Harry, I don't think Harry knows this fact either. He thinks I like him and I want to solve this problem!! I love Michael!" she finished with a passion.

Draco looked at Ginny seriously and was about to speak when she again turned towards him and said, "And he's coming today and Ron's been dropping big hints about Harry thinking of proposing me today!!"

The last sentence surprised and shocked Draco.

"So what will you do now?" he asked.

"I'm running!!" she said.

"Man, the second you are caught, you talk of running away!! Eloping is a very bad idea!! There are a thousand risks and consequences of such actions! Don't ever even think of running away, Alright?" he told her strictly.

She merely pushed the hair out of her face and looked at him, "There's no other option."

"Of course there are options! There are lots of options!" he said indignantly.

"Like?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Like… why don't you tell your parents about Michael?" he suggested.

She looked down sadly and replied, "They won't accept. Instead, they'll emotionally blackmail me and tie me down here! BAD OPTION!"

Draco shook his head tiredly. "Look if you can't explain you parents, then leave Michael."

She glared at him and replied, "Next option."

"Don't marry anyone!"

A toss of the head, "Next option."

Draco looked around thinking what they could possibly do. He looked back at her and said, "Get Potter and Granger married."

Ginny looked away, she didn't look very happy with the idea. With a harsh tone she replied, "Next option."

"Prove it somehow that Potter is impotent, " This was harsh, he knew, but it was the only option he could think of when she discarded all.

Ginny pushed her hair out of her face again and looked at him seriously.

"Harry is not impotent. Next."

"So, does it matter? But wait a second—how do you know Potter is not impotent? You just said you didn't do anything with him. Did you actually- "

"Next option," Ginny said looking at him.

"No wait… how do you _know_ Potter is not impotent?"

She looked sheepish, and gave a shrug as she replied, "You come to know…"

"What do you come to know, huh? Did you really just do it and lie—"

"Next option, Draco!"

"Did he tell of anybody-"

"Next."

"Did you see him with-"

"Next!!"

"How do you _know_ Potter is not impotent, Weasley??"

* * *

It seemed that Harry was not the only one who had come today. Ginny looked around, almost the whole of the order was there. Did her mum really need to spread this? She actually felt bad for Harry. Possibly, he won't propose and there may not be a scene.

She had dressed well for the occasion. Not high, as if she was expecting something, but such that if any proposal arouse, she would look good. Even if you are rejecting someone, marriage proposals were a big event, and Ginny liked to dress and look best.

She shook her head as she looked at the various order members who had gathered and were talking, greeting them along the way. She knew Harry was there, and must already have met Draco, obviously Ron and Hermione must have told all what they saw. So she searched for Harry to meet him and greet him, cause it was expected.

"Ginny, dear. Could you take these sandwiches to the garden table? I'm sure they must be finished by now," Mrs. Weasley said as she handed her daughter a tray of sandwiches and looked at her affectionately. Ginny thought a bit too affectionate. Like saying goodbye to a married daughter. She scowled.

Taking the tray from her mother, she proceeded towards the garden. She found Draco leaning on the tables and looking at everyone amused. She actually wondered how he was even outside, given the fact that he had left his company, family, everything and was taking a break. Wouldn't people recognize and question him? But she shrugged, she was the one to have made him stay. She moved towards the table and placed the sandwiches there.

Standing beside Draco, she arranged the sandwiches on the plate as she talked.

"Idiots all of them. Look how happy they look. What do they know I'm running away soon, and very fast…"

Draco shifted uncomfortably, trying slightly to move away from her

"Look you, don't stick to me this way. Everyone's going to think wrong of it," he said seriously, not looking at her and towards the crowd of people present.

Ginny straightened up and looked at him. She suddenly caught his sleeve, and clung to it, standing close to him, she whispered, "So who says I'm marrying over here, huh?"

"And what of these numerous freckled red heads who'll catch me and beat me up, huh?" he said as he tried hard to wrench his sleeve away from him. she only clung to it more tightly and replied flirtatiously.

"Bear some for me, sweetheart…"

Draco finally wrenched the sleeve of his shirt out of Ginny's hands, who looked startled, and said, "Leave my shirt. What do you think you are doing?"

He left her there, very embarrassed of her behavior. But it was for short time. she immediately took of his sleeve again and stood close to him.

"This idea is good. For stopping this marriage. This is the right option!" she said happily moving ever and ever close to him and smiling happily.

Again, Draco wrenched the sleeve out of her hands and looked straight in her eyes, saying very seriously, "You stay away from me, you understand?"

When he turned back to leave, he was shocked to find Hermione standing in front of him. she was carrying a tray of drinks and was looking suspiciously at both Ginny and Draco. Draco smiled, to which she gave a nod, and left. Hermione turned to look at Ginny but she had left too.

Meanwhile, Ginny had just seen Harry. She walked over to him and he turned around, catching sight of her.

"Hi Harry," she said.

"Hi Ginny," Harry replied. Ginny smiled at him.

"Well, long time…" she said not knowing what to do.

"Yeah… 6 months almost. So how is life?" he asked.

Ginny laughed and looked around. She found almost the whole crowd looking at Her and Harry only. They seemed to have left there conversation withstanding to hear hers and Harry's. She looked at them sternly.

"Even you guys can talk. There's no punishment!" she exclaimed loudly.

They all laughed and turned back to their work. Ginny turned back to her conversation with Harry.

* * *

"My main work is being an Auror… but sometimes I help the other departments like international relationships and such too…" Harry said.

"Really?" said Ginny whose mind was drifting to various places and her eyes were searching frantically for a certain blonde head.

She and Harry had been talking for nearly an hour and a half and Harry had given her much of a reason to worry about a proposal. She really wanted to carry out her plan of action but her ally was missing. They were walking among the fields outside the Burrow, between the house and the muggle village.

"Yes… many times it's very interesting, you know meeting all these people…"

"aha…"

Finally she spotted Draco, playing with Teddy in the fields, behind a bush.

"There was once this minister who was so much like Luna… kept asking about narg—"

"Just a minute, Harry," she said hastily to Harry and ran towards Draco.

Draco was busy trying to teach Teddy Lupin on how to get a proper hold of a broom when he heard loud footsteps and turned to see Ginny running towards them. She came towards them and looked at Teddy.

"Teddy, your grandmother wants to speak to you. Go now," she said sternly to the child.

"Oh no! why only me?" said the boy as he ran toward the house.

"What are you going to do now?" Draco asked as he saw her come towards him.

She instantly positioned him in front of her and held his arms. She looked at him seriously.

"Is he coming?" she asked.

"Who?" Draco asked with confusion.

"Harry! Is he behind us?" she asked excitedly.

Draco looked behind her and found Harry walking towards them, looking shrewdly at both of them.

"Yes… you move back…" Draco replied carefully moving himself away from her.

Suddenly, shockingly and to the utter amazement of Draco Malfoy, Ginny moved swiftly towards him and gave him a big kiss on the lips. He turned red the instant it happened, and looked at her with shock. She smirked at him, and hugged him. Hugged him! Kissed him! In front of Harry Potter!! Her would be fiancé!! He was so shocked he couldn't move or do anything for a whole minute. She continued hugging and pecking him on the cheek. He suddenly realized the gravity of the situation and shook himself out of his shock. He looked where Harry was standing and found him fuming in anger.

"Hey Potter, she's- she's acting! Potter there's noth- bloody hell! leave me, Ginny!!" Draco shouted at her.

She turned around, pink faced and looked at Harry.

"Oh my God, Harry!! Oh my!" exclaimed over and over again.

Harry Potter was fuming in anger as he looked at Ginny and Draco. Draco kept shouting nothing was going.

"Potter believe me! there's nothing like you think here is. She's just acting. That was nothing. Nothing at all. There's nothing between me and her. Ask her. Ask, " Draco said turning to Ginny. Ginny nodded energetically.

"Yes, yes, Harry! Draco's right. There's nothing going on between me and Draco… we are just good friends. Tell him Draco, that nothing happened in London between us either… nothing at all!" Ginny replied. Draco was furious.

"Grandma was telling me she didn't call me, why did you tell me she called me?" Teddy Lupin's voice sounded just in the right time to Ginny's happiness and Draco's misery. She looked angrily at Teddy.

"Of course she called you! Let's see how she didn't call you! Come with me!" and taking the boy's hand in her own, she gave one sly glance to Draco before leaving the place and heading towards the burrow.

Harry now looked at Draco, with utter loath and anger in his eyes. For a second, Draco thought Ginny ruined all that he had worked for in her one stupid moment of not thinking but he didn't get scared, he would explain himself. He sighed and brushed his hand through his hair before looking at Harry, only to find the guy leaving.

"Listen Potter, I know what you are thinking… it's not true. There's nothing between me and Ginny. We didn't even meet in London! She's just acting alright! Please don't take it the wrong way…" Draco said, trying his best to clear the matter out.

"You may think I'm not very smart Malfoy. But I have eyes too, and I just saw what happened," Harry replied coldly.

"Mate, she was doing it to show it to you! She was-"

"Why? Why would she want to show me something like that? Tell me," Harry retorted angrily.

Draco was about to say why when he checked himself, he couldn't do that to Ginny. Harry might go and inform everyone something and he didn't want Ginny in trouble. She might have used him just now, but this was her problem. She had to sort it. he looked back at Harry.

"Mate, this is between you and Ginny. You better ask her about this. You both anyways have been friends since-"

But Draco cut off when he saw Harry shake his head in disappointment and turn to walk towards the house. He hung his head down in shame. When he reached the house, he saw Ginny with a gang of girls around her. he looked at her for a long time before he caught her eye. When she saw him, she instantly smirked and winked. Draco shook his head and Ginny laughed openly, returning her attention to her friends.


	9. The Biggest Step

Chapter 9-

It was late night when all the guests finally left the Burrow and headed home, save for Harry Potter who actually didn't count as guest at the Weasley household. Draco Malfoy was horribly tired and could not wait to sleep. Through out the rest of the day, Harry's mood was sour, and he kept shooting glances at Draco. Draco actually felt pity for the guy, but he knew he could not do anything. Ginny loved Michael, and they would not accept him. He only waited for the time when the girl would let him leave. Not that he was very keen on heading home. He dreaded the time when he'll finally have to return and take up his responsibility of Malfoy Industries.

And a tiny part of him, the part which now seemed to take care of what was happening around him, also wondered what would happen to Ginny Weasley. He didn't know when it had started, but he knew that he cared for her. he knew she was wrong, he knew that though he kept putting of the thought, someday it will happen. Ginny had decided, she had decided to elope. No amount of persuasion or even humor seemed to make her come to her senses. He knew her decision was wrong. She was doing what he had done, running away from problems when got too big. She didn't want to convince her parents, she wanted them to accept it. How bad could it be that she had to run away from her parents to marry Michael? Draco felt that the Weasley's would not be that stern on her as she seemed to think. And Draco feared the time when she might end up taking the step. Her actions today had definitely destroyed her chances with Potter at least. She was jubilant, carefree and even wild at times. He could not imagine how she might perceive the world. To him it had always been a lonely, pressurizing, and depressing place where he had to always prove himself. And he had always failed. He was scared, that if Ginny was forced to open her eyes to the real world, if she'd be able to live in it or get crushed.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was around 2 am in the night when Draco woke up to the sound of feet shuffling somewhere close to him. He opened his eyes and squinted around. Ginny was closing the door of his room and coming towards him. She was wearing a hood over her head and was carrying a bag. He suddenly got up, wondering at what was happening.

"Ginny! What the hell are you doing here?" Draco asked worried if anyone will check on them.

She put a finger on her mouth to indicate him to be quiet.

"Ssshhh!!!! You'll wake every one up!" she whispered.

"But _what_ are you doing here???" Draco asked.

She walked and sat on his bed turning to look at him angrily.

"Congratulations! You spoilt everything! I set such a nice scene. Till now Harry would have flooed back home!!!" she muttered to him with anger in her voice.

"But now he says, _he wants to speak to me_!!! Alone! I'm leaving now!" she whispered fast as she looked back at him.

"But where are you going?" Draco asked looking at her. she looked at him, as if he had truly gone mad.

"Where? Where? Draco, I mean I'm running away!"

Draco was too bored of this stupid topic. He just pointed a finger at her sternly.

"For the last time, Weasley…. I told you not to even think of the idea," he said managing to suppress a yawn as he warned her.

Ginny looked exasperated as she spread her arms around her as if showing her self and said, "Are you still sleeping, Draco? Cause wake up. I'm running away now."

The sentence didn't get make any sense to Draco for a split second, before he widened his eyes shocked and horrified by what she said. The realization of what she had said seemed to get him now. He was so scared, she was doing exactly what he feared she would.

"You… you mean your running away now? As in NOW? At Present?"

She nodded calmly as said, "Yes."

Then she got up, then halted and sat back down, once again looking at him seriously, "Listen, you stay here comfortably for a few days, then go back to your place. Don't breathe a word about me, Alright?"

Draco immediately got out of his covers and looked at her angrily.

"Hold on. Hold on a sec… you are running away from this place NOW. And I'm supposed to stay HERE?" he asked.

Ginny was confused. _What was the big deal in that?_

"Yeah, so?" she said with an expressive nod.

"So tomorrow Potter will open his mouth in front of everyone, and all these people who think there is something between you and me," at this he moved his hand once towards himself and then towards her and said, "they will tie me up with those pigs in your backyard!" He finished the line with a slight snarl on his face.

"Oh!" was all Ginny said in reply. Draco shot her a glare.

Ginny opened her mouth wondering what to do, then the familiar expression of mischief came on her face as she looked at him. She looked happily at him and said.

"So you too run away with me! Both will run away together! Amazing!" she said excitedly.

Draco looked miserable. He shook his head in exasperation and tried to explain to her.

"If we run away together, their suspicion will turn into confirmation that something is going on between you and me!"

This time Ginny laughed.

"Big deal! How does it affect you?" she said raising an eyebrow. Draco narrowed his eyes as he pondered her words. Then he forgot about her and self- reflected.

"Exactly… How _does_ that affect me?" he said aloud wondering. Ginny nodded excitedly.

"Yes! Yes! Come on then! Put all your things in my bag quickly. We'll leave now," she said as got up and rummaged for things quietly in his cupboard.

After a few moments pondering, Draco got up and helped her put all the necessary items in the bag. The idea of running away with a girl still seemed to scare him. Especially the thought of being caught.

Xxxxxxxx

As Draco and Ginny quietly crept out of the bedroom, they looked around carefully, checking to see if anyone was awake. Ginny held her wand tightly in her hands, seeing that Draco had none. No one in the Weasley family knew this however, they were scared of Fred and George's antics.

They got out of the stairs and into the kitchen. Ginny sighed in relief when she noticed all the hands in the Weasley Clock except for her own point at bed. Draco however didn't know, and didn't notice, but kept glancing around to check if anyone was up. They walked into the drawing room and into the garden on tiptoes, not daring to make the slightest noise. When Draco looked back at the house as they walked towards the gates, he saw a figure moving in the dark. He narrowed his eyes trying to see who it was and saw Granger with a book in her hands. She turned and looked towards him, and her eyes widened. Draco looked back at Ginny.

"Ginny, did you inform Granger about us?" he asked in a whisper.

"No, why?" she asked. He turned around and looked at Hermione, who was trying to see who the two people in the dark were. Ginny turned around to see what Draco was looking at, and was scared out of her wits as she saw Hermione recognizing her.

"Oh Shit! Run Draco!" she whispered as they started running quickly towards the gate.

"Ginny? Is that you? Ginny? Ginny?" Hermione's voice sounded in the air.

They started running very quickly, but Hermione had started running towards them too.

"Ginny!!! Stop! What the…? Ginny, where are you going? Ginny!!!" came Hermione's voice behind them as they kept running.

Finally, she reached the garden and shouted at Ginny.

"Ginny!!! What are you doing?" Hermione shouted as she reached close to them.

Ginny stopped, a worried expression on her face. She didn't move, was unable to move, though her mind shouted run. She turned around to look at Hermione, who looked extremely worried and tensed.

"I'll come back in 2 days! I'll owl you tomorrow! Please, I beg you, don't tell anyone anything!" she said loudly to Hermione, the girl getting tensed with each word Ginny said.

Hermione looked very confused. She turned around immediately and shouted, "Ron! Harry! Come here, quickly!!! Mr. Weasley!"

And shouting for her friends to come, she turned and ran inside. Draco and Ginny looked at each other in shock.

"Now what?" Draco asked Ginny.

Ginny shrugged her shoulders, then took his hand and dragged him towards the gate. She replied on the way, "Michael lives in Switzerland, we'll need to take a portkey or floo to apparate there…Let's see, maybe there will be an empty room in the Leaky Cauldron if we apparate there…"

Draco stopped walking immediately, horrified by what she said.

"Merlin's sake, why are you stopping now?" Ginny asked miserably.

"UNBELIEVABLE MAN! THIS IS YOUR PLAN? LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET AN EMPTY ROOM IN THE LEAKY CAULDRON? ARE YOU MAD? YOUR RUNNING AWAY!" Draco shouted at her.

"I knew that Hermione might end up seeing us! Now why are you waiting? Let's go!" she said strongly as she turned around. But he gripped her hand firmly and stopped her.

"Wait!" he said as he thought.

"Why are you waiting? Let's go!" she whined miserably as she turned towards the gates.

"Not there! Here!" he said and walked towards the house, pulling her with him. She stood firmly where she was, shocked and angry.

"I'm not going back in there!" she threatened in a deadly cold voice.

"Ginny! You've already made a mess. Now you'll do exactly what I say, okay? Come!" he said as he turned towards the house. She still didn't move, panicked by his actions.

"But why are we going back in there?" she asked worriedly.

"Shut up and do what I say, now!" he shouted angrily at her. She protested and he used his full force and dragged her along with him. Every step he took arose more panic in her heart.

The lights of the house had been switched on as they moved further into the house. There were footsteps and sounds as they hid into the darkness. After a few seconds, Ron, Harry, Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came out followed by the other Weasley brothers.

"Where did they go?" Ron's voice boomed in the air.

"There, towards the gate! They must have apparated by now!" Hermione's terrified voice sounded later.

"And you just stood there? You should have stopped them, grabbed hold of that ferret!" Ron's voice boomed again.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ginny and Draco ran towards the backyard of the house and looked around.

"Do you have a terrace here?" Draco asked her. She looked blank and confused.

"Do you have a terrace here, Ginny?" Draco repeated. She shook herself out of her reverie and answered him.

"Yeah, the pig stall has a terrace… but nobody knows, and it's only cleaned once in a few months… it's on the right side door… but why are we here…" she asked as Draco took her hand and leaded her towards the stairs to the terrace.

They passed through the dirty, dingy stairs and into the terrace. It was incredibly dirty, with cobwebs on the walls. Draco and Ginny crept quietly past the dirty stairs and cleaning equipment and stepped into the terrace. It was really a small terrace, with nothing but dirt filling it. Draco dragged Ginny towards the corner where there was light and they could see the Weasley family discussing and talking loudly. Everyone was up and many times a red head disappeared and reappeared out of thin air giving news. Even Aunt Muriel was up and standing close to the door. Draco and Ginny watched the show quietly.

"They are not there in the Leaky Cauldron, just checked there now…" came Bill's stressed and panicked voice as he apparated and walked towards the Weasley home.

"Not there? Where could they have gone? Great Merlin, if only we knew since how long they had planned this!" came Mr. Weasley's angry voice. Ginny had never had her father be angry at her ever in life. She almost shivered of fright.

"I knew it the second he entered this roof. I had recognized the bastard. I told you something was going on between those two!" came Aunt Muriel's triumphant voice. Mrs. Weasley could barely restrain herself from glaring at the old woman, as she sneered. Ron and Hermione shook their head sadly.

"But you all are so kind, aren't you? So foolish! Never listened to me, now the result's in front of your eyes!" continued Aunt Muriel angrily. Ginny's knuckles twisted into a fist as she looked at the woman in anger, while Draco watched the show thoughtfully.

Getting tired of looking there, Ginny turned to Draco.

"What are we doing here?" she asked, her voice magnifying in the quiet darkness of the place. Draco immediately placed a finger on his lips to indicate her to be quiet. In a lower voice, he explained.

"Look, your plan was absolutely pathetic. If we had apparated to the Leaky Cauldron, Bill would have found us within a few minutes, and we would have been caught. Granger had already seen us going out, so they assumed we ran out. Now they'll go out, tell everyone they know to search for you, search the whole city and all places they know, but not search their own house." Draco said as he looked on at what was happening. Ginny turned around, astonished at Draco's quick thinking. He didn't notice her as he continued.

"So now we'll wait here. Then when the times right, we'll take the back door and apparate out of here and reach the Ministry quietly, and immediately take portkey's for France, okay?" he asked finally looking at her. She was looking at him with a surprised smile on her face.

"Had any plans of running away with Pansy too?" she asked sweetly.

He looked sharply at her, and she giggled slightly turning back to look at her family.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There was a lot of tension and stress within the Weasley household as various members of the family went looking for the youngest daughter of their family. Mr. Weasley was out with his elder sons, and Fred and George had gone to check if Ginny had apparated to the places they had earlier searched. For the first time, they felt disappointed of their younger sister. She had been much like them many times in manner. And running away with Malfoy was the last thing the Weasley's could ever imagine her to do.

The only few people left in the house were Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Hermione and Harry. They were all outside waiting for somebody to apparate. Harry had been quiet through out what had happened. They had not yet discussed anything about Malfoy and Ginny in particular, all being very busy to actually find her than let her go.

"She used to tell us everything, never used to hide anything from us. Then why she did she hide such a big thing?" came Hermione's quiet voice.

"It's not Ginny's fault!!! It's that bastard Malfoy's! he addled her brains! Tricked her to take revenge on us!" shouted Ron angrily. Hermione looked sadly towards him.

"Ron…" she started but he cut her off.

"He stayed with us Hermione! He stayed with us and acted like nothing was going on! I'm going to kill the bastard! I'm not going to leave him!! he's trying to ruin my sister's life!" Ron shouted getting to his feet.

"Ron, stop! You need to stay here, Mr. Weasley and Bill and all have already gone searching for Ginny. They'll try their best, you know-" Hermione tried vainly as Ron started pacing around. But it was Harry who cut her off.

"Yes, we'll find him, and we'll finish the bastard off. He's played enough games now, he can't get away with this," said Harry his voice dangerously soft.

Hermione sighed and tried to comfort Harry.

"Harry, I'm sorry about how this is going for you. Please relax, I know it's difficult for both of you, I'm worried too. But you've got to master your temper for the better, we don't know when we'll find them, you know," said Hermione trying very much to not think of what may be happening to her friend. She had suspected their behavior since the beginning. Somewhere, she felt guilty for having not revealed what she suspected to anyone. That was because she thought she would actually get time to talk to Ginny about the matter.

"She had to run away from us Hermione. She knew Malfoy was scum, that's why she ran rather than tell us. You only hide things you are shameful of," was all Harry said as he got up and went inside the house.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The entire conversation was heard by Draco and Ginny as they sat waiting for the right time. A grave silence fell between them after Harry's departure from the scene. Somewhat guiltily, Ginny looked at Draco through the darkness. He has his hands on his face with deep concentration in his eyes. Ginny thought he looked extremely guarded and serious. She turned back to look at the house, while inside she felt like dying.

They blamed him. Totally. For each and everything she had done. They blamed him because they didn't think their daughter could take such a step. Do such things. She felt so bad for involving him into her plans now. Why hadn't she thought of this? That Draco may have helped in the battle and forgotten his old ways meant nothing for people who held more than one generation born prejudice to him. Draco was a Malfoy, the name which reminded them of Lucius Malfoy, they would obviously jump at the chance to blame him.

She turned to Draco and put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly, which made Draco look up at her.

"Where is your boyfriend picking you up?" he asked. Surprisingly, Ginny shifted uncomfortably.

"Actually, I haven't been able to talk to him," she replied. Draco looked at her suspiciously, then asked her angrily.

"He doesn't know you are running from your home for him?" he asked with anger. She simply shrugged. Draco was alarmed and he looked about to burst with anger.

"It's going to be alright," she said reassuringly. For a second Draco's face changed to confusion, then back to anger.

"You are worrying over me, Ginny?" he asked incredulously. "Do you remember who I am? I just need to apparate once from here and I am far away from all this mess!" he said angrily.

Draco turned away for a while to calm himself, but losing his cool, he turned to her again and said, "Do you know how you are handling your life? You've made a game out of it! Ginny, life is not all about fun and play! Sometimes you need to be serious. Some times, you need to sit down and sort out your problems. I'm telling you. The way your handling your life, your seriously going to be in deep trouble sometime later!"

Draco turned back again and looked down, angry and confused. _Why should he care what the hell she wanted to do out of her life? Why could he just not get out of this mess!_

At this time, Ginny was still staring at Draco thinking about his words. This time, she really thought, not about what she was doing, but about what he had said. It didn't sound right to her.

"You lived your life very seriously. Where did it get you now?" she asked quietly, silently turning away from Draco. Draco looked at her, and she continued quietly, not looking at him.

"Sometimes, we have absolutely no control over our fates. How much ever we plan, organize and try to put some control over life, we don't know what might happen the very next day. And in such a case I would like to do what my heart wants! I want to live my life fully, with my hearts content, take my own decisions, play by what matters to me! if something bad comes out of it, I know that it is because of my fault! If I fail somewhere, I don't need to run to somebody and blame them, saying 'look, because of you my life got spoiled'. And every time I'll think of this, I'll be happy that I did what I wanted to do at that time! I'll never have any regrets then Draco!" Ginny said earnestly, turning to look at him.

Draco looked quiet, thinking through her words. They stabbed his heart.

_You lived you life very seriously. Where did it get you now?_

The sentence seemed so true, so exact to what he had felt when he had failed. When he was in the train, all the times he had worked hard… in the end it just didn't work out, did it?

_Sometimes, we have absolutely no control over our fates. How much ever we plan, organize and try to put some control over life, we don't know what might happen the very next day._

Another reminder of fate. Of his ill luck, from school to Business.

_If I fail somewhere, I don't need to run to somebody and blame them, saying 'look, because of you my life got spoiled'._

That's what he kept doing, didn't he? Blaming his mother for everything? Cursing her for getting their family's reputation into ruins? All she did was follow her heart, like Ginny.

Ginny looked at Draco's concentrated face and sighed. She turned him towards herself and said, "It's hard to get right?"

Draco just looked at her with a dry smile on his face. She smiled widely and said, "Don't worry. Everything will work out, you'll see for it yourself. The more you think, the more you'll stress yourself. This is life, right now, right here. Live it! or your time will get wasted planning it!"

And Ginny patted him on the head and turned to look at her family, smiling. When she turned to look at Draco, he still looked quiet.

"Come on Draco! Don't anno me now! I know what I'm doing okay? And stop bring me! We have a long time to spend here!" she said exasperatedly.

Draco let out a small laugh, and nodded agreeably to Ginny's words.

* * *

The search and confusion for Ginny which had started at 2.30 in the night at the Weasley Household finally ended at 5 am in the morning, when lost, failed and sad, all members of the Weasley family returned unhappily home and decided to postpone more search for the coming day. Mrs. Weasley returned sobbing back to her room, helped by Harry and Hermione, while Mr. Weasley retired to the dinner table to think, sleep finally getting him some peace. Harry, Hermione and Ron, along with the other Weasley brothers, retired quietly to their rooms, unable to talk to each other without opening their hearts to unwanted fears.

At 5.30 am, Ginny and Draco finally decided they would make a move out of the place. It was still dark, but there was a small tinge of redness, signaling dawn.

They stealthily got out of the terrace and walked to the gates, taking care not to make the slightest bit of noise. Draco opened the gates, and turned to make Ginny pass when he noticed that she wasn't with him. He looked back and saw her looking towards the Burrow with a sad face.

"I'll come back quickly," she said quietly looking towards the house.

"I'll marry and quickly come back for their blessing. They'll be angry, hurt and upset, but they'll finally accept me and Micheal," she continued while Draco stood listening to her. Then slowly, she looked back at Draco.

"I am not doing the right thing, am I?" she asked with a small voice. Her lower lip was trembling and she was trying hard not to cry. For the first time Draco saw some fear and caution in her eyes. He would love to make her go back, but he knew that she was determined, no matter how scared she was. He sighed, and shook his head. She gulped, and looked down, unhappiness pasted on her face.

"But you did say, didn't you? Love is love. There is no right and wrong in love. Like my mother? Now I know why she did what she did," Draco said with a kindness he never knew he possessed.

Ginny looked up at him, with relief and gratitude in her eyes. He understood, someone understood what she was doing, and it felt… relieving. She smiled with relief. Then a grin broke out on her face, and she rushed and hugged him tightly. Draco steadied himself, taken by surprise, but nevertheless happy, and grinned back.

Ginny released him, and holding his hand tightly said, "Let's go."


	10. Final Meeting

Switzerland- was beautiful. It's chillness, the snow, the mountains, the grass, the _goats and cows. _Everything about Switzerland was beautiful. And it was also beautiful because Draco had Ginny with him for the whole journey.

Ginny was hyper. She was happy, laughing, cheerful, amusing, and everything one can ever want, to always remember the best days of their whole life. She kept talking, talking about Michael of course, kept dreaming, despite being teased a thousand times by Draco about it, and kept joking and amusing everyone. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes was bright, and not a trace of sleepiness was visible in her eyes despite the fact that they had stayed up the whole night.

And Draco? Why was he still with Ginny? And in Switzerland?

_Well_, thought Draco. _I have been with her till now, at least I can see that she reaches safely to her Michael. A few more hours with her, what harm can it do?_

"And when everyone will finally accept me and Michael, I'll tell them about how you and I met up! Oh my God, they will surely have fits when they see me bring home Michael and not you!!" she said bursting out laughing.

"You know Michael is really good with music? Seriously, once he played this tune from his guitar and everyone, along with me of course, thought it beautiful and then we came to know that Michael had actually composed the tune himself! I mean, WOW!"

"I have decided that me and Michael will have kids only after a few years. I mean, come on! With all this hiding and stuff, we never even got to have some free time to ourselves! No, the first right on Michael will be only mine!"

"Oh look! Those mountains look so beautiful! I swear, they look much more beautiful than the way to Hogwarts looked and that scenery used to be marvelous!"

"I wonder how Ron will react. I mean, he had a problem when I dated Michael in the _fourth year_, and now I'll be liked married to him. Ha! Ron will have to bear his brother- in- law whether he likes it or not!"

Draco listened to her chatter with a suppressed smile on his face. Seriously, Ginny could dream. Far and wide. But it was her innocence which made him excuse her nonsense talk. She was a smart girl, but she was too dreamy.

At present Ginny had found an open market on the street. She ran inside, curious to see what they had to give. She looked and smiled, and was delighted to see some new muggle thing. The muggles were confused about why she would laugh, but they didn't ask. Draco watched her, and smiled, unable to understand the unhappiness which he felt inside. She almost forgot herself in the crowd and the market until Draco reminded her that they needed to go somewhere.

Finally the time came when she opened the bag and checked for the address which Michael had once given her. Walking a few feet more, they soon found themselves at Michael's house address. It was a huge place, with a big garden and big gates. In the gardens, Ginny found a few people walking about and recognized the one she most looked forward to.

"There's Michael!" she said to Draco standing on her heels and looking out.

"Michael!" she shouted out happily. His back has turned from the gates, and Ginny was curious to know what they were all doing.

"He's not looking here! Michael!" she shouted again.

Excitedly, Ginny took Draco's hand and started towards the house, when she found resistance from Draco.

"Come on. What happened?" she asked happily.

But Draco could not. He didn't want to. For some reason, he didn't want to see Michael. The man who had possession of Ginny's heart. For some reason, he didn't want to see Ginny with Michael.

He smiled at Ginny, and slowly took Ginny's hand and pressed it to his heart. Ginny just looked at him, confused.

"Always be this way, Ginny," Draco said looking at her, memorizing her happy face.

Ginny looked at him questioningly, unable to understand him.

"Keep smiling, and always be happy," Draco continued, now leaving her hand and moving away.

Then Ginny understood that Draco was not coming inside.

"But come and see him at least!" she said with concern. But Draco simply shook his head, and continued moving back.

"Bye Ginny," he said and finally turned around and walked back slowly, noticing Ginny's confused look.

He only turned back once to see Ginny running and opening the gates to the house and going inside, then closed his eyes and apparated back to London.

It was like he had known for sometime. Though she had annoyed him, fooled him and angered him, and he thought her to be a total fool, Ginny had for sometime now, taken hold of Draco's heart. She had been a ray of sunshine into his life, giving freshness and attraction to his dull life. A life he had almost been ready to throw away.

She had come, talkative and annoying at first, then silly and amusing the next, then a friend, and slowly a support which Draco did not feel like letting go.

All the time he kept thinking that Ginny was holding him up, it had actually been him persuading himself that he didn't want her company. In truth, he had never been more alive, more fresh, more happy than the times he had been with Ginny.

Draco Malfoy had finally fallen for Ginny Weasley.

Did it bother him that she didn't love him back?

_No_, thought Draco shaking his head. _I love her, but it doesn't mean I want her. All I want is her happiness, and her happiness is Michael._

But he didn't want to ever forget Ginny. She had given him life, and through Ginny, life had given him a chance to change himself and his situation. He was alive now, and everything that had gone bad, he wanted to fix it now. He would work and make his business get back to how it first was. When his grandfather had made it one of the most respectable companies in the Wizarding world.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The board room in the Malfoy Industries Ltd was quiet. It had been filled with chairs from front to back, and all the staff and chair members of the company, along with Narcissa Malfoy were sitting quietly. There were hushed whispers and conversations in every row, and everyone looked anxious and tensed about there futures.

Finally, the doors of the board room opened and the one person everyone was waiting for came inside. Everyone, excepting Narcissa Malfoy got up, but quickly sat back down as they noticed their Co- Chairman, Draco Malfoy motioning quickly to everyone to sit down.

He walked forward and got on the stage, and the noise created by the shuffling quickly died down and everyone looked seriously back at him.

To everyone's shock, Draco made a hesitant start on his speech.

"Are all of you going to kill me?" he asked looking at them all. Everyone looked at each other in confusion, then looked back at Draco again.

His voice now grew strong, but he held a casual tone through the whole speech. Not at all like a formal meeting.

"I know I have been very wrong in just leaving this place the way I did and not showing up for two whole weeks, but you guys are not going to punish me are you? I'm really sorry for what I did, but I'm also glad I did what I did," said Draco.

"So, I took a break from work and tried to get myself upto the standards which our Company asks for me to be in. I know that for the past few years, or shall we say, for the past many years, our Company's state has been going down and down. Our products have crashed at the markets, our sales are at an all time low, no new product we have launched in the past 5 years has succeeded, we do not have any investors, the Ministry is not giving us any support. Malfoy industries had been reported to have finally reached it's last few years of life. That means everything bad that had to happen, and could have happened has happened. And now all that will happen, is good."

The audience which had been sinking into theirs seats and had lost all their confidence by every word uttered by Draco, sat up at the last line and looked at Draco. Draco drew up a breath.

"Yes guys. This is now our time, we have let ourselves be underestimated. We had given up hope, and we had neglected our own Company. But this Company is yours, all you people who helped make it! would you let it just go down cause someone tells it will? Of course not! From now on, we will work hard and tough. We'll do everything we can to rise high, like when my grandfather, Abraxas Malfoy had given it to us. If any problem comes, let it come. We'll all face it, won't we? And we're going to start this work from today!" finished Draco amidst high sounds of applause and cheers.

Draco quickly got down and left the board office with his manager, and his lawyer, discussing issues which the Company currently faced. The only one who watched him with a curiosity was his mother, who still remained seated in her chair.


	11. Where is Ginny

_**Nine months later**_

"Great! I'm late again!" said Draco Malfoy to himself as he hurriedly looked at the clock on the wall and then back to his shoes, tying up his left shoe quickly. He was already done with most of the dressing, and grabbing his bag, he ran towards the door.

"You forgot your tie," said a voice behind Draco, who turned back to see Ginny Weasley holding a tie in her hands. He smiled and walked up to her, holding out his hand for the tie.

"One says please when they take something from others, you know," said Ginny, as she folded her arms around herself, protecting the tie in her hands.

Draco smiled and moved closer to her, and said in a soft voice, "Please."

To which Ginny raised an eyebrow, but nevertheless, gave him his tie saying, "Good."

And suddenly, Ginny vanished. Draco looked around himself, and found himself standing in front of his closet with a tie in his hand. He sighed and shook his head, clearing his head, and smiled softly. A knock on the door, and Dimply, the house elf, entered, and Draco went and dissaparated for work.

It had been nine months since he had returned back from Switzerland to his real life, and yet, yet… he still thought of Ginny. Dreamt of her, thought of her, remembered her, and now, kept seeing and talking to her. Well, not her obviously but imagined himself seeing her.

When he had a doubt, he would think of her, wonder how Ginny would react to the situation, compare it with how he went about, and change his tactic to match Ginny's. Any situation, any problem, anything at all, and Draco would imagine Ginny and act according to her advice, which she would give sometimes sitting on his office seat, or at the dinner table, before bed, in the car, anywhere where he was alone.

Of course, she never really was there. Draco always imagined her to be there, beside him. She would be cheerful, talkative, excited and annoying, whatever he needed then. Never would she be talking of Michael, to Draco's comfort. And Draco was happy to keep her the way she was, even if she wasn't actually there. He was happy to keep her as a memory, guiding him when he needed her.

Today was a very important day. Today, after several days again, he would be meeting up with his mother and her attorney. She still wanted to leave the company, but why, Draco didn't understand. Ever since he had got back from Switzerland, and given the speech the first day he got back, everything in the company had been working seven times better than it had earlier. Draco had finally understood his problem.

He had always been too risk aversive to be strong enough to make any decisions that would effect the company strongly. He had never shut down the products and systems which had not been generating sales for the past six years, just because they had been too popular during his grandfather's time. He had never made any proper investment in the right places and he had never taken advice from people who could actually help him. He had worried too much, but was not bold enough to make effective decisions.

But now, he had changed. Since then and now, in the past nine months since he had got back, Malfoy Industries had come to the position of one the most top ranking wizarding companies of Britain. There company, was currently in the twelfth spot, regaining from its previous 147th spot., and Draco hoped to get it in the top five by the end of next year. He knew the reason they were still in the twelfth spot was for the black mark they had gained over the past few years, but he knew they still could outshine, cause they had been on the top for more than twenty years before Lucius spoiled it for them.

So he didn't understand why his mother still wanted to leave the company, when it was doing so well. He didn't want her to, cause she had really helped this company when Lucius had gone bidding his stupid dark lord.

He entered the board room of the company and sighed as he saw everyone seated and waiting for him. Narcissa Malfoy was quietly scowling in her seat, as she turned her head to stare at the table again. Draco thought she might have been doing it for sometime now. He apologized for his tardiness and shook hands with the men, seating himself beside his attorney.

Narcissa Malfoy's attorney spoke first.

* * *

It was one hour since the meeting had started and still Narcissa's attorney was going on about the various claims Narcissa Malfoy had over the company and would, if not given freely, be forcibly taken from Draco. Draco listened on getting bored and bored.

"Further more, Mrs. Malfoy must also have a share in the new products the company has opened, as you know Mrs. Malfoy has an investment in them. Proceeding on to the other areas-"

"Don't you get bored of the constant yapping?" Draco asked suddenly.

Everyone looked up at Draco, and the room got quiet.

"I mean, seriously… how do you do that? Talk for ever and ever about the most boring topics with such a serious face? And where do you get those intense difficult words from, making sure none of us understand a thing you are saying?" Draco continued, looking interestedly at the attorney. The attorney's face got red with anger.

"Excuse me! How dare you-" the attorney began.

Draco took out the file from the table and showed it to the attorney.

"These are the claims which your client demands right? Alright! That's it! why do you have to go on and on…?" Draco finished.

The attorney looked angrily over at Narcissa Malfoy, who also looked enraged. She opened her mouth to argue.

"Mother, please listen to me," Draco started first.

Narcissa Malfoy shut her mouth with surprise. It had been a very long time since Draco had used the word 'Mother' to refer to her.

"Mother, this is all yours. It has always been, and always will be. You took care of this company when Father went about ruining us. No one can take this company away from you, please don't ask for your own rights. This company has always been just as much yours as it has been mine. Don't do this," Draco finished.

A very long silence followed where Mrs. Malfoy stared at her son in disbelief. What had happened to Draco? How did he end up getting changed so much?

Slowly, but surely, Narcissa Malfoy nodded to Draco. Draco smiled with relief and looked up smug at the attorney. The attorney looked shocked and surprised, then looked at his hard worked files, realizing them to be worthless now. Draco grinned, got up. He hugged his mother briefly, then went away. Everyone left the room after him, the attorney in anger. Narcissa Malfoy was left dumbfounded. Slowly, a smile crept up her face, with only the empty room the witness.

* * *

Draco left the meeting room with relief and happiness written clearly on his face. He got out of the lift and was about to enter the room when he heard the commotion outside. He walked towards the reception of his building to understand what was happening. Suddenly, several hands gripped him strongly from the front of his shirt and a fist hit him on his face.

Draco didn't even get time to yell in pain when he was pulled forwards again, and he looked up at Ron Weasley's face.

"You bastard! Where's Ginny? What have you done to her?" he shouted at Malfoy.

From behind, he saw Arthur Weasley trying to calm his son as he too looked at Draco and asked, "Say it now, Draco. Where is Ginny? Tell us where our daughter is."

Draco was left speechless as he looked around and spotted Fred, George, Bill Weasley looking at him anger while his security guards tried to restrain them.


	12. The Weasley Visit

Draco looked at Arthur and Bill Weasley as they sat down in his office. The other Weasley brothers had been stopped from entering the room by Arthur Weasley, who wanted to have a quiet talk before making matters worse. Draco cringed when he noticed Bill Weasley throw a disgusted look at him, and looked down. He waited for them to begin, wanting to know what the matter was. Arthur Weasley began first.

"Son, where is my daughter? Where is Ginny?" he said.

Draco Malfoy looked at them in shock. He was unable to believe he was hearing this after nine months of not being connected with the family.

"We thought you both might come back after some time. We've searched everywhere for her, for you too. It's been nine months. We are done with not knowing about her. She's our child. Where is she? What have you done to her?" Mr. Weasley continued, his voice desperate and miserable.

"Mr. Weasley, what… what are you talking about? Ginny is supposed to be with all of you," said Draco stunned.

"Stop lying, you piece of scum! We know Ginny is with you! We saw her run away with you! Hermione saw you both run away! Tell us where she is, now!" Bill Weasley said angrily. Draco had thought Bill Weasley was a calm person, but he now thought he was mistaken. Apparently, Bill also had some of his brother's tempers lying hidden within.

Draco said sincerely, for truth it was, "Bill, I don't know where Ginny is. I have not met her since the day she left your house."

"Stop lying Malfoy! She is with you! We know it! Tell us where our sister is!" bill shouted. He was ready to beat the hell out of Draco, and seemed to find it very difficult to sit there.

"But Ginny told me that she would get in touch with all of you soon. Mr. Weasley believe me I have no idea where Ginny is. If I had known something like this would happen, I would not have left her," Draco said turning his attention to Mr. Weasley, but Mr. Weasley didn't seem to believe that Ginny was not with him.

"Draco, is something wrong with her? Tell us, we want to know the truth. Is she hurt? Something has happened to her, right? This is not like Ginny. She could never stay away from us for long. She had to have someone with her all the time. She could not stay nine minutes without any of us and she's not replied for nine months! Tell us, son. Is something the matter? Do we need to hear something about her? Is she not with us anymore? Has she… has she died? What happened to her?" Mr. Weasley asked Draco looking at him with sadness. Draco felt cold inside. He didn't want to hear this. Not about Ginny. Why had she still not gone back to her family? What happened about Michael? He wondered and felt horrible for leaving her like that.

"This is not like Ginny! She can never be away from us for so long… Draco, bring her back. We're dying to see her. She's our daughter, tell her we forgive her. It doesn't matter anymore. Tell her that, please bring her back home, son," Mr. Weasley continued looking at Draco with misery.

Draco didn't know what to do. He felt miserable and tensed. He didn't want to hear such things about Ginny. Ginny was fine, she had to be. She was Ginny, the head strong girl. He looked at the two of the Weasley members. Even Bill was quiet, and tensed, with his own thoughts in his mind. He kept hearing Arthur Weasley repeat "Tell us where Ginny is, son" and he felt ashamed. For now, he had to handle the situation with the Weasley's. Ginny had not returned from Switzerland back to her family, as she had promised herself. Nobody knew where she was, and Draco had to find out. Did it not work out with Michael? She had gone unannounced to his place. He didn't know what to do. But he knew he had to start from where he left off.

"Mr. Weasley," he said looking at Arthur Weasley. He looked up at Draco.

"Mr. Weasley, do not worry. Please. Ginny is fine. I know that much. Nothing has happened to Ginny," Draco said.

"Then why are you not bringing her home?" Bill Weasley asked him.

"I don't know why Ginny has still not returned home, but I am going to find out Bill. Please trust me. I won't hurt Ginny," Draco replied, he was losing some of his patience right now, but he knew it was not right of him to shout at this stage. Mr. Weasley looked at Draco hopefully.

"You'll bring her back home? You will do that? Please do so, Draco. We need her, we need to know if she is okay," he said. Draco closed his eyes and nodded, unsure if he would ne successful or not.

"Till when? When are you going to bring her back?" Bill Weasley asked looking at Draco. Draco opened his eyes and looked him in the eye.

"Give me a month. I need a month," Draco said determinedly.

"A month it is then, Malfoy. If she isn't home till then, then your dead meat," Bill said staring back at him. Draco nodded, his eyes getting softer. He bent his head and looked down, wondering what to do.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There was a huge commotion outside as the Weasley's left the Malfoy Industries building. The other Weasley brothers were very angry that they didn't get to know what happened, and were furious to leave Malfoy without taking their sister with them. Mr. Weasley quietly persuaded his sons to leave with him, saying he'll explain everything to them later. Everyone was standing and watching the whole scene that took place, abandoning their work. A huge silence filled the reception hall when the Weasley's left and everyone looked at Draco quietly, wondering what the whole thing was about. Even Narcissa Malfoy had come out of her office when she heard the noises and demanded that everyone return back to their work stations, which got every moving from the place. Draco looked on quietly, and left the place and went back to his office.

He entered his office and sat down on his seat. What had happened after he had left Ginny in Switzerland? Why had Ginny not returned home? Was it all a mistake? Had Ginny been too forgetful to return home to inform everyone about Michael and herself? It could not be. Ginny wanted everyone to know that she and Michael were together. She could not have waited so long, for nine months. So what happened?

Draco knew one thing that could have happened and he didn't want to think about it. It was a thought that pained him, not for himself, but for her. Did Michael not accept her? Did he leave her? Why would she not return home then? It didn't seem possible. And then the other possibilities came on to him. Could something have happened to her? Did she die? Was there some accident and something horrible happened to her?

Draco felt like the room was getting stuffy. He could not breathe, every possible thought unnerved him. He sat up and looked around when he felt a hand on his shoulder. His mother was standing behind him looking concerned. He straightened himself and motioned her to sit.

"Yes Mother? Did you need something?" he asked trying his best but failing to be polite, as he pretended to remove some sheets from the table to read. Narcissa Malfoy just looked on at her son. She moved and sat on the opposite chair, still looking at him closely.

"What happened Draco?" she asked. Draco looked up at her, uncertain about what to say, but she didn't stop for him.

"Why was Arthur Weasley asking about his daughter to you? What happened just now?" she asked him moving forwards and keeping her hands on the table. Draco felt like telling her everything, like when he was a child and he would go to her when he was upset about anything. But he didn't know anymore if he could. They had not talked to each other in so many years about anything except business and that too rarely, as both found it hard to talk to each other like that. As he looked at his mother, he knew that she was concerned about him, when she had no reason to. He had treated her very badly when she had left their family to live her life. He had blamed her, ignored her, and even publicly abandoned her saying she was not his mother anymore. Maybe Ginny was right about this too, that his mother cared for him. But he didn't know what Ginny would say anymore, she wasn't there for him, was she? He didn't know if she was even alive or… Draco left that thought that way.

"Draco, when you left the company nine months back without saying anything to us, I noticed it. You had reached the edge, and I was scared for you, but I didn't say anything. I didn't know if you would want me to be with you, so I kept quiet. I knew you were hurt about so many things. I knew you were frustrated. About the company, about our family, your father, me, and about Pansy too," Narcissa Malfoy said softly looking at her son. Draco looked at her quietly, listening. He wondered what it may have felt like when he had left.

"And then you had come, and you had changed. It was just two weeks, and you looked like you had suddenly got a dose of fresh life from some advanced potion. You were so energetic in the meeting that first day, so passionate, so full of life. And then the following months, just nine months and you changed the company over all Draco! I didn't know what had happened to you and I always wondered. I was so happy for you Draco," she continued. "But today, when the Weasley's came and created that scene, you look so changed. When you just sent them off, you looked devastated, you look devastated now. And I don't know if all of this has something to do with your elopement nine months back, but I somehow feel that it does. Is something the matter dear?"

Instead of answering her questions, Draco looked at her and asked a question he had in mind, "Then why did you want to leave this company?"

She smiled sadly at him. "I didn't want to, Draco. But I felt I had to. This company, it belongs to your father's family, it's yours. I felt that I was not part of any of these two things anymore. We don't even look at each other anymore do we? And I couldn't do anything else for it. I had to leave. But today, when my son asked me to stay, I realized that I'm not totally ignored by you. So I stayed," she replied to him.

Draco looked down and didn't reply. This felt nice, knowing about his mother. Correction, knowing his mother, and how she felt all these years. Draco regretted his actions for the past few years. They had both lived a lonely life because of him, and he could not now take that time back and change it. But he could change the future, he realized. And he will, he thought to himself.

"Mother," he said looking back at her. "I have some business to sort out."


	13. What happened in Switzerland

_Please don't be angry with me abt this. It's d story…._

**HOW WE MET**

Michael Connor entered and sat down in his office after the lunch break as his assistant came and announced to him that someone had come to meet him. He told his assistant to allow the man to enter, then cleared the files in front of him to make his messy office look a bit cleaner. He was the head of the magical transportation department in Switzerland, and even if his post seemed good, he wasn't as well of as he wished to be. He sighed and shook his head and said 'Enter' when he heard the knock on his door.

A tall blond man came inside his office. His face looked very familiar to Michael, he thought he knew the man, but just could not place him. He had a sharp face, pale yet intense, his stand was casual, and he was holding a gift package in his hand. The man came forwards and stopped a few steps short of his table.

"Yes, How may I help you?" asked Michael looking curiously at the man. The man came forwards and held out his hand, which Michael shook, and the man sat down, giving the gift to him in the process. Michael just raised an eyebrow, as he silently accepted without understanding.

"You must be knowing me. I'm Draco Malfoy," said the man with an apprehensive smile. Michael sat up carefully, the name ringing a bell somewhere in his head.

"Ermm.. Mr… Malfoy, is it?" he asked. Malfoy nodded his head.

"Malfoy… Draco Malfoy from London remember?" he said. Suddenly Michael realized who this man was. He was Draco Malfoy, owner of the Malfoy Industries, the 12th best magical company in the world, or something like that which he had read in the Daily Prophet some days ago. He had been in Hogwarts when he studied there, a rival of the famous Harry Potter, and whose father was a known Death Eater.

"Mr. Malfoy! I'm sorry I took so long to recognize you! I just didn't expect someone of your standing…" Michael carried away, lost and wondering to what did he owe this pleasure. Malfoy nodded relieved, his shoulders got less tensed and he smiled again.

"So, Mr. Malfoy. To what do I owe this pleasure?" asked Michael as he relaxed back into his seat.

"Well, I thought Ginny may have talked to you about me, about how we met up and all. Since you two didn't come to meet me, I thought I should come and meet you both up," joked Malfoy. Michael didn't respond, not understanding what he just said. But Malfoy didn't wait for his response, his face suddenly grew a bit serious.

"I just came to say that Ginny's family was wondering when you two will be coming home. Ginny told me she would return to her family once you both got married, you see. They are quite worried about her and want to see her. I just wanted to make sure you both knew about this," said Draco Malfoy looking at him. Michael got confused, that didn't make any sense to him.

"Who said what about taking who home?" Michael asked confused. Draco Malfoy looked alarmed at the man, but he seemed to get patient and then repeated his words.

"Well, Ginny's parents wanted to know when Ginny will be returning home. You see, they haven't met her since nine months and they are worried about her," Malfoy said slowly. Something about what the man said made sense to Michael this time. He recognized the name Ginny from the whole line, and something about some family seemed to make sense too.

"Which Ginny are you talking about?" Michael asked to make sure.

Draco Malfoy took a deep breath at this, and asked, "How many Ginny's do you know, mate?"

Immediately, Michael straightened himself up and replied with a haughty tone to his voice, "I don't know anyone by the name of Ginny."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Ginny looked at Draco as he took her hand and pressed it softly. She looked at him with questioning eyes, and Draco took a step closer to her._

"_Always be this way, Ginny," he said to her looking her directly in the eyes, "Keep smiling and always be happy."_

_She didn'__t understand what he meant, but knew that he was not going to come inside with her._

_Draco left her hand, and walked away, and Ginny let him go. She turned around and ran towards Michael's house, nothing stopping her from going to the man she loved._

"And you let her go? Just like that?" Draco asked Michael, looking at him with disgusted eyes. Michael put his hands up in defense.

"Don't blame me for anything, alright? I didn't tell her to run away from her place and come to me. It was solely her decision, I didn't even know about her plan," he replied defensively.

After Draco's constant pestering at Michael to know what happened the day he left Ginny, Michael agreed to confide in him if they went outside his office. They were currently in a restaurant, sitting outside in the open air as Michael related what had happened.

"But Michael, she loved you! She kept talking about you and only you all the time. She left her whole family for you. How could you?" Draco asked the man in disbelief.

"Look, I did not tell her to leave her family and come to me, okay? You know her right? Then you know how childish she is. She lives in a dream world, and thinks everything will happen according to what _she _wants," said Michael looking at him seriously.

"And you thought it important to shatter her dreams, did you? You had to wake her and show her that the world is a sad, cruel place where there's no place for people like her. You had to do that didn't you?" said Draco angrily looking at the man. He wanted to rip the skin out the man and burn him. He hated him so much, how could he do that to Ginny? How could he leave her like that?

Michael got extremely angry at this. How could he be liable for that stupid girl's actions? "Excuse me," he said looking at Draco. "You must be a rich man, Malfoy. But I am not. I have my responsibilities, and my personal interest at heart. I did what I felt right at that moment. She came when my whole family was there together and embarrassed me in front of them. I can take no responsibility for it," he told Draco with equal anger.

"Oh, so that's what it was about, huh? And she thought her family would have a problem with you! Michael, you snubbed her in front of your whole family? You let her go that way, knowing that she would not be able to take care of herself?" asked Draco. He didn't even wait for Michael's response. He looked at the ground as he remembered. Michael looked at Draco closely, wondering why he was here.

"Hmm… but Ginny never told me about you… She never mentioned you once all the time I spoke to her, and you came running here as soon as you found out about her.." mused Michael as he looked on. Draco looked at him. "So, what's the scene, boss?" asked Michael.

Malfoy threw a disgusted look at the man, then shook his head and stood up. He looked at Michael and replied, "I would gladly explain the scene between me and Ginny to you. But such a cheap man like you would never understand our relation, would he?"

That hit Michael hard. He stood up in anger and strode towards Malfoy and said in a very angry voice, "Cheap man? You're calling me a cheap man? What have I done, huh? What horrible crime have I committed here? Don't act like I manipulated Ginny into running away from her family and coming with me, alright! I never spoke such things to her ever! I never even took up the topic of marriage with her! It was her all the time discussing such stupid things. We'll do this after marriage, we'll do that. We'll have such a house, such rooms, such curtains, for goodness sake! When she came here after she ran from her family, I told her. I told her to go back to her family. But no. She would return after a few days back and she would again ask me to reconsider, even when I told her strictly not to act like that. I would receive her letters from strange owls I have never seen before and she would still be asking me to take her back. I kept replying her back saying to go back to her family. I can't do anything if she didn't."

"Ginny's missing since nine months Michael! Nine months! Does that mean nothing to you? Nothing at all? She ran away from her home, she left everything she knew for you and you treated her like that?" Draco asked him back in anger. Didn't that guy feel anything? He went out with her and left her like that? Draco hung his head ashamed for Ginny. "Such a fool Ginny was! To like a man like you! How she used to talk about you! Michael this, Michael that, and" Draco said looking up at Michael, "this is Michael."

He threw one last look at Michael before he left the place and exited out.

He was back in Switzerland. To find out about why Ginny and Michael had not returned back to the Burrow. He had hoped that it was all a mistake, that maybe Ginny had just been too careless to think about her family. But what he had feared had happened. Michael had not taken Ginny's uninvited arrival lightly. He had told her to go back, that he had no feelings for her anymore. He could only imagine how it may have gone for her, and felt such pain at the thought of it. Her whole life had been Michael, how she had planned it all, and he knew that rejection had not even been thought of in her plans. He closed his eyes, feeling pain and grief, and fear, for Ginny. He wondered where she was now, and what she was doing. He knew why she did not return, she was too ashamed about how she had acted. She had not planned on returning home alone, how devastated she might have been. And that bloody Michael! Draco's blood rose as he even thought of that man. And for Ginny to give her heart to such a worthless man. Where could he find her? Where was she? Draco didn't know what to do.

Draco apparated to the place where he had left Ginny. he looked up at the empty street in front of Michael Connor's house. No one was there over there. Draco walked up to the place where he had held Ginny's hand and then let her go. He tried to think what it had been like to her from that moment onwards, but could only imagine…

_**Nine months back…**_

_Ginny looked on as Draco slowly left her hand and went away the opposite way. She wondered what had happened to him, but understood this was some sort of farewell. She had not understood what he had meant by his actions, apart from the fact that he didn't want her to change, but knew that he would not want to meet Michael. She shrugged her shoulders, slightly amused._

_Then she turned around, and Michael was still standing with the group and looking the other side. The familiar feeling of extreme happiness filled her, in and out. She once looked back to notice Malfoy still walking the other way, and made her decision to finally get moving._

"_Michael!" she shouted again, but he didn't seem to have heard her again. But she didn't care. If he didn't listen, then she'll have to make him listen._

_She ran towards the house, fast and happy, and opened the gates and got inside._

"_Michael!" she said as she ran towards him. Michael finally turned his head towards her, so did the others around him, and his face suddenly looked shocked. Ginny had expected this. Gosh! He must be so happy to see her. She had really surprised him, she could see._

"_Ginny?" Michael asked looking at her in shock. Ginny giggled._

"_Hi!" she said. "Guess what? I ran away! From my family! All the way from London! Oh God! Isn't this great? Michael I'm so happy to see you!" she said and hugged him tightly. Everyone looked on and their eyes turned towards Michael as they realized what the girl just meant. Michael looked totally shocked to say anything._

"_Isn't this amazing? Now we can marry and no one can say anything to us… oh god, this will be so perfect! You and I together forever. Aren't you excit-"_

"_Ginny, What is this?" Michael asked as he came back to reality. He pulled her arms out his shoulders and backed her away. She looked alarmed by his reaction and moved to come closer to him. He didn't accept it._

"_Ginny, what are you doing here? What is all this nonsense?" he asked again._

"_Michael… didn't I tell you I'll be leaving my family soon and coming to you? You told me, didn't you? That you loved me. What happened Michael? Why do you look so angry?" Ginny asked looking at him in wonder. Everyone stared at the two people in front of them. Michael noticed this, and he took hold of Ginny's arm and dragged her to a corner where no one could hear them. He didn't say anything to them as he bent low and whispered to her, "What are you talking about Ginny? I thought you were joking when you said that. You always talk so much nonsense that I hardly pay any attention to it."_

_Ginny looked extremely worried at the turn of events. She didn't stoop her voice low as she answered him back, "But Michael I was totally serious when I told you that we should run away and get married. I was not joking. Oh god, not at all!" she said. Michael put a hand on his lips to gesture her to keep a her voice low._

"_Marriage? Who even talked of marriage here? What the hell, Weasley? What nonsense is this? I am not going to marry you," Michael said firmly looking her in the eyes. Ginny's eyes went wide and frantic as she looked at him, fear gripped her heart as she heard these words._

"_But Michael… you and I.. we were so go.. good togeth-" she started but was cut off as Michael pointed a finger at her and dropped his whispered voice. _

"_You and I were nothing Ginny. We had some fun time and that's that to it. Even then I used to tell you to not get carried away. Grow up Ginny, your not a kid anymore, and running up here and throwing yourself on me will not do anything. Now please leave," he said and came out of the corner. He waited for her to come out of the place too, and she did slowly._

_She started, "Michael, please listen to me. Don't do this. I really love-"_

_But Michael put his hand up and said "There's nothing else to discuss Ginny. Please leave. Your creating a scene here." He shot a glance at the people standing there and signaled her to move on. Ginny was about to start again, but Michael had had enough. Just when she was about to say something, he turned his head around and left to join the people there. They all looked on quietly as Michael went inside the house and didn't return, then turned to stare at Ginny as she was left speechless in the corner. She gulped, and looked around. she tried to breathe, and suddenly tears filled her eyes. She bent her head and the tears started flowing freely. She hitched up her bag in her hand and walked towards the gates, her heart thundering loudly. The people stared as she left the place, and soon whispers began and people looked at each other._

_Her tears didn't subside as she went back through the gates and looked at the house one last time. She could not believe this was happening to her. She could not even believe what just had happened there. What had Michael said? He didn't like her? he didn't want to marry her? What? What had happened? Was this possible? her heart thumped loudly in her chest as another dose of tears engulfed her. She put a hand on her mouth to muffle the sobs, and ended up breaking down. The tears flowed fast and big, her heart just got shattered._

"_Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!" she kept repeating._

_It felt like someone had just taken her heart, squeezed it, twisted it, torn it roughly, stamped on it and returned it back to her. She felt like going and dying some where. She didn't know what to do. She looked around. Draco had left. She could not see him, and another dose of tears came over her. She walked on and on, not knowing where she was and what to do. She saw a chair near a bus stand and sat there, crying and only crying. She was so scared, so hurt, so betrayed, she didn't know what to do._

_How foolish had she been? Did she really not see it? Did Michael really not like her? Was he not interested at all at her? It hadn't seemed so then. He had cared so much for her then. He was willing to get caught going on dates with her. What had changed? Was that all a facáde? She shook her head. She didn't know what to. She had just run away from her home for another man only to reach there and realize he would not take her. She bent her head and cried for herself, forgetting everything else._


End file.
